Andrew Tate blames arrest on ‘insanity of ruling elite’ as he prepares appeal

Andrew Tate has blamed his arrest on the “insanity of the ruling elite”, as he aims to secure bail.

The British-American former kickboxer and controversial social media influencer, frequently accused of spouting misogynistic views, was arrested at his luxury Bucharest compound along with his brother Tristan part of an investigation into human trafficking and rape.

Tate has since declared online that the cause of his arrest is the “insanity” of an elite who are being exposed by his outspoken opinions, as his legal team attempts to secure his bail.

The 36-year-old influencer and proponent of an “alpha male” lifestyle“ is facing a 30-day detention following his arrest on December 30, which came following his high-profile Twitter spat with teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg.

Taking to Twitter again after his arrest, Tate wrote: “It appears the insanity of the ruling elite is exposed worldwide now.  They have one command, do not speak out, behave as sheep.”

Tate was arrested as part of investigation claims that he, his brother, and two Romanian citizens formed a gang which recruited victims by “misrepresenting their intention to enter into a marriage/cohabitation relationship and the existence of genuine feelings of love”, a plot known as a “loverboy” method.

Romanian authorities with the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism alleged that victims who were housed by the gang were forced to perform pornography “through physical violence and mental coercion”.

The initial detention period was extended from 24 hours to 30 days while authorities investigated the claims, a period which has been the subject of an appeal by Tate’s lawyer Eugen Constantin Vidineac.

He said: “From our perspective, there are no grounds… for taking this most drastic preventive measure.”

Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Luton, Tate rose to prominence after being kicked off reality show Big Brother in 2016 after footage emerged of him appearing to attack a woman with a belt, a clip he claimed was edited.

He went on to achieve fame on social media for his advocacy of an “alpha male” lifestyle, often showing off his wealth and collection of sports cars. He claims to have recently converted to Islam.

He gained further notoriety online for a number of comments about women, including suggesting that they “bear some responsibility” for being sexually assaulted.

The Tate brothers have been under investigation since April. They have denied the allegations, and spokesman for the pair said they could not comment on the arrest but added:  “Andrew and Tristan Tate have the utmost respect for the Romanian authorities and will always assist and help in any way they can”.