Andrew Tate wins legal challenge over seized assets

Controversial influencer Andrew Tate has won an appeal in a Romanian court as he seeks the return of assets which have been seized by authorities.

Mr Tate is being investigated in the country over allegations of human trafficking and rape, which he denies.

On Monday, Bucharest's Court of Appeal ordered a new trial over the held assets, which includes luxury cars.

Mr Tate's brother Tristan and two associated companies were also parties to the successful appeal.

The brothers appealed a December 2023 court ruling which upheld the legality of the seizure of their assets.

A ruling handed down by a higher court on Monday said it overturned the earlier ruling and referred it for a retrial.

The decision means the Tate brothers will be able to return to court and mount a new legal effort to reclaim their seized assets.

Two companies, SC Ground Breaking Development SRL and The Cannon Run Limited, were listed alongside the Tate brothers as parties in the appeal.

In a post on his official Twitter account, Andrew Tate said a court will now have to demonstrate the wealth was acquired illegally in order to justify the ongoing seizure, adding: "They won't prove a thing because it never happened."

Court documents released in June indicated the brothers had amassed millions of euros and acquired expensive assets and properties via their business activities, which included adult content and online self-help courses.

Both Tate brothers deny charges levelled by Romanian investigators that they exploited women via their adult content business, which prosecutors allege operated as a criminal group.

Two female Romanian associates were also named alongside the British-American brothers in an indictment published in June, and seven alleged victims were identified.

The brothers were first arrested in December 2022 and spent time in prison before being place under house arrest. While they are no long under detention, the brothers are prohibited from leaving Romania while the investigation progresses.

In January 2023, expensive cars were seen being removed from a property associated with the Tates near Bucharest. Watches worth millions of euros were also confiscated during the raids.

Items including luxury cars were seized during raids in January 2023