Romanian police have raided the homes of controversial influencer Andrew Tate as part of an investigation into new allegations.
He and his brother Tristan were taken from their home in Bucharest to the offices of DIICOT, Romania's agency against organized crime, where they will now be questioned.
The internet personality is already awaiting trial for rape and human trafficking, but could now face additional charges of sex with minors, and kidnapping, as well as money laundering and witness tampering, prosecutors say.
Andrew and Tristan Tate, who have a huge following on social media, have denied all previous allegations against them.
They were first detained in Romania in December 2022 and then released from house arrest in August 2023.
According to a report by DIICOT, the special investigative service of the Romanian Organized Crime Directorate, four houses were raided on Wednesday morning in the capital Bucharest and Ilbow County.
The BBC understands that the inquiry relates to Andrew Tate and that these inquiries have been ongoing for some time.
The brothers were taken to the DIICOT building in police vans, met by a small crowd of reporters and supporters.
Neither man was in handcuffs, but each was escorted by heavily armed police officers.
As Andrew Tate entered the building, he was greeted by a local blogger who asked him why he was back at DIICOT. Laughing, Tate replied that he “didn't know,” shouting through the closed door that he was “in his favorite place.”
Two police officers, both with their faces covered by balaclavas, were seen carrying heavy sacks in the same building – presumably with items taken during raids on the brothers' home and other properties.
Asked to comment on the latest developments, their lawyer – Eugene Vidinek – said the latest allegations are still unclear as he has not seen the file yet.
“We still don't know what we're dealing with,” he said.
DIICOT officials have 24 hours to interrogate the brothers. After that, if you want to imprison them, you have to produce them before a judge.
The prosecutor said the brothers did not expect to be arrested.
In an apparent response to Raid, Andrew Tate posted on X (formerly Twitter): “The Matrix is real. And they have a tried and true playbook.
“Defamation is their primary tool and process of punishment. But unfortunately for them, good always wins in the end.”
Andrew Tate is a self-described misogynist and has previously been banned from social media platforms for expressing misogynistic comments.
He has repeatedly told Romanian prosecutors that there is no evidence against him and that there is a conspiracy to silence him.
The Tate brothers, former kickboxers and dual UK-US nationals, are accused of exploiting women through an adult content business, which prosecutors allege was run as a criminal syndicate.
Two female Romanian accomplices with the brothers were also named in an indictment issued in June last year, and seven other victims were identified.
Internet personalities are also wanted in the UK in connection with separate and unrelated sex crimes allegedly committed there.