On Feb 10, a woman in the U.S. filed a lawsuit accusing internet personalities of coercing her into sex work, luring her to Romania, and defaming her after she testified to Romanian authorities.
The civil complaint, filed in Florida against the Tate brothers, was first reported by The New York Times. It is noted as the first lawsuit against the brothers in the United States.
The Tate brothers are currently involved in legal battles in Romania and Britain, facing accusations including organized crime, human trafficking, minor trafficking, sexual crimes, and money laundering, all of which they deny.
Identified as Jane Doe in the court filing, the woman had been previously sued for defamation by the Tate brothers in 2023. Her latest lawsuit claims that they attempted to intimidate her through the defamation case.
For security reasons, Doe, 23, and her parents have been granted anonymity by the court.
Representatives for the Tate brothers were unavailable for immediate comment. Their lawyer, Joseph D. McBride, stated to The New York Times that there was no evidence of human trafficking by his clients, asserting their innocence.
Recently, a Romanian court replaced Andrew Tate's house arrest with a lesser precautionary measure while a criminal investigation is pending. Both Andrew and Tristan Tate, former kickboxers holding U.S. and British citizenship, are among the leading suspects in a significant human trafficking trial in Romania.