Romanian court extends judicial measures against online influencer awaiting human trafficking trial

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A court in Romania’s capital on Friday extended geographical restrictions against an online influencer who is awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.

The Bucharest Tribunal extended by 60 days the restrictions stipulating Andrew Tate, 37, may not leave the country. Tate had requested that he be able to leave Romania provided he stayed within Europe’s ID-check-free Schengen zone, which Romania partially joined in March. Eugen Vidineac, one of Tate's lawyers, said they will appeal the decision.

Tate, a former professional kickboxer and dual British-U.S. citizen, was initially arrested in December 2022 near Bucharest along with his brother Tristan and two Romanian women. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four in June last year and all four have denied the allegations.

On April 26, the Bucharest Tribunal ruled that the prosecutors’ case file against Tate met the legal criteria and that a trial could start but did not set a date for it to begin. That ruling came after the legal case had been discussed for months in the preliminary chamber stages, a process in which the defendants can challenge prosecutors’ evidence and case file.

After that decision last month, Vidineac argued it “lacks legal basis and reasoning” and said they ”filed a strong appeal as we believe the ruling to be unlawful.”

Andrew Tate, who has amassed 9.1 million followers on the social media platform X, has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors have no evidence against him and that there is a political conspiracy to silence him. He was previously banned from various prominent social media platforms for allegedly expressing misogynistic views and for hate speech.

Speaking to reporters about his legal case outside the court on Wednesday this week, Andrew Tate said: “It’s up to the judge, the judge will decide what the judge will decide, I remain rich and famous — nothing matters.”

“If I have to sleep in jail, I’ll sleep in jail,” he added. “Everybody knows if I was not famous, there would be no way on earth that all of you would be here.”

After the Tate brothers’ arrest, they were held for three months in police detention before being moved to house arrest. They were later restricted to Bucharest Municipality and nearby Ilfov County, but may now travel freely around Romania.

In a separate case, Andrew Tate was served at his home in Romania with a civil lawsuit lodged by four British women in the U.K. after a claim was issued by the High Court in London, according to a statement released Wednesday by McCue Jury & Partners, the law firm representing the four women.

The four allege Tate sexually and physically assaulted them and had reported him to British authorities in 2014 and 2015. After a four-year investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service decided in 2019 not to prosecute him. The alleged victims then turned to crowdfunding to pursue a civil case against him.

“We are very pleased that the court has issued our claim and the case is progressing,” Matthew Jury, a managing partner at the law firm, said in a statement Wednesday. “We are determined to bring Andrew Tate to justice, and this is a major step towards that goal.”

In a separate third case, the Tate brothers also appeared in March at the Bucharest Court of Appeal after British authorities issued arrest warrants over allegations of sexual aggression in a U.K. case dating back to 2012-2015.

The appeals court granted the British request to extradite the Tates to the U.K., but only after legal proceedings in Romania have concluded.

McGrath reported from Tulcea, Romania.

Andrew Tate, right, and his brother Tristan gesture as they leave the Bucharest Tribunal in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, May 8, 2024. A court in Romania's capital ruled on April 26, that a trial could start but did not set a date for the trial to begin in the case of influencer Andrew Tate, who is charged with human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan, right, leave the Bucharest Tribunal in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, May 8, 2024. A court in Romania's capital ruled on April 26, that a trial could start but did not set a date for the trial to begin in the case of influencer Andrew Tate, who is charged with human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Andrew Tate smiles as he leaves the Bucharest Tribunal in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, May 8, 2024. A court in Romania's capital ruled on April 26, that a trial could start but did not set a date for the trial to begin in the case of influencer Andrew Tate, who is charged with human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Andrew Tate, center, and his brother Tristan leave the Bucharest Tribunal in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, May 8, 2024. A court in Romania's capital ruled on April 26, that a trial could start but did not set a date for the trial to begin in the case of influencer Andrew Tate, who is charged with human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Andrew Tate, right, and his brother Tristan laugh as they leave the Bucharest Tribunal in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, May 8, 2024. A court in Romania's capital ruled on April 26, that a trial could start but did not set a date for the trial to begin in the case of influencer Andrew Tate, who is charged with human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Fast-moving storms with strong winds, large hail and apparent tornadoes swept Oklahoma and Kansas, blowing roofs off homes and blocking roads with toppled trees and downed power lines. Meanwhile, Houston made progress in recovering from last week's deadly storms.

Nearly 20 homes were damaged in western Oklahoma's Custer County, with two people injured in Butler, state emergency officials said late Sunday. Damage to a nursing home was reported in the town of Hydro.

Wind gusts well over 60 mph (about 100 kph) were reported in many areas as the storms, which began Sunday afternoon and lasted through the night, moved eastward. In central Kansas, a 100 mph (160 kph) wind gust was reported at the airport in Salina, the National Weather Service said.

Jacob Schwein, of Russell, Kansas, told television station KAKE that he spotted a funnel cloud from a storm that damaged his home and ripped apart a garage where he kept his race car, trophies and an array of tools.

“When I left work, I seen it,” Schwein said. “I seen it come down right over there on the on the next road.”

Overturned semitrailers were reported in Newton and Sedgwick counties, the office said.

“Due to the damage and debris please do not go out unless absolutely necessary!” the city of Halstead posted online.

The weather service said it received 13 tornado reports Sunday from Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado.

Schools were canceled Monday in several communities that were cleaning up. More storms were forecast for later in the day. The National Weather Service warned of an enhanced risk of severe storms late Monday night into early Tuesday in parts of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. Thoe storms could produce large hail, gusts of up to 75 mph (121 kph) and some tornadoes.

Parts of Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota could also see some flooding with heavy rain swelling rivers and creeks, the weather service said.

Houston-area residents affected by deadly storms last week received some good news as officials said power was restored Sunday to a majority of the hundreds of thousands who had been left in the dark and without air conditioning during hot and humid weather.

Thursday’s storms left at least seven dead and brought much of Houston to a standstill. Thunderstorms and hurricane-force winds tore through the city of over 2 million, reducing businesses and other structures to debris, uprooting trees and shattering glass in downtown skyscrapers.

More than 225,000 homes and businesses in Texas remained without electricity Monday, mostly in the Houston area. More than 1,800 customers remained without power in Louisiana, which also was hit by strong winds and a suspected tornado.

In one Houston-area neighborhood, many residents without power picked up food, water and ice at a distribution site set up at a Boys & Girls Club. City and county buses were used as temporary cooling centers.

“I’m a mother of three girls … My house does not have electricity and I know what you are all suffering and we are here to help you,” Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones said in a video posted on the social platform X.

The weather service said Houston-area residents should expect “sunny, hot and increasingly humid days." Highs of about 90 degrees (32 Celsius) were expected this week, with heat indexes likely approaching 102 degrees (39 Celsius) by midweek.

A restoration crew works in a home while cleaning up storm damage on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Cypress, Texas. The suburban Houston area of Bridgeland suffered major damage last week after a line of powerful storms, that included a confirmed tornado, swept through the area. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

People walk through a Bridgeland neighborhood as families begin cleaning up storm damage on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Cypress. The suburban Houston area of Bridgeland suffered major damage last week after a line of powerful storms, that included a confirmed tornado, swept through the area. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Volunteers with Houston Independent School District and the Houston Food Bank work through the heat to give away food to people in the aftermath of a destructive storm Saturday, May 18, 2024, at Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center in Houston. Many Houstonians are still without power as temperatures climb. Staff and volunteers with Houston Independent School District and the Houston Food Bank worked in the heat to help residents around the school. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Margaret Cantu waits in the heat to get food and water from volunteers Saturday, May 18, 2024, at Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center in Houston. "I'm trying to forget the storm, it really scares me," she said. Cantu, 68, lives with her 70-year-old husband. She said they don't have power. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

A man carries his propane tank after getting it filled up at 2650 Tidwell Road on Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Houston, after a strong thunderstorm moved through Thursday evening. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via AP)

A runner passes a chopped up tree on the trail at Memorial Park on Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Houston, after a strong thunderstorm moved through Thursday evening. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Andrew Hallard, a mechanic with Harris County Precinct 4, works through the heat to distribute food and water in the aftermath of a destructive storm Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the Richard and Meg Weekley Community Center in Cypress. Texas. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

A man carries water on his shoulder as volunteers at the Memorial Assistance Ministries distributed water and ice, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Houston. As of Saturday afternoon, 486,000 people in the Houston area remained without power after a Thursday's thunderstorms killed at least seven people. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Charlie Reyes reads in cooling center Saturday, May 18, 2024, at Tracy Gee Community Center in Houston. "I was at a loss, I didn't know what to do other than go hide," he said of the storm. "Since then it's been trying to keep myself OK." He said he was at the center to charge his devices. "My poor car can only charge so much." (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Volunteers prepare boxes of dry foods and fresh fruit to distribute as cars wrap around Houston Community College Eastside Campus Sunday May 19, 2024 to pick up dry foods, water, ice, milk and baby supplies following severe storms that passed through the area Thursday. (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Daniel Valdez places a fresh bag of ice in a cooler his brought on foot from his apartment as volunteers at the Memorial Assistance Ministries distributed water and ice, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Houston. As of Saturday afternoon, 486,000 people in the Houston area remained without power after a Thursday's thunderstorms killed at least seven people. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP)

A truck is covered in debris as a families in Bridgeland begin to recover from and clean up storm damage on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Cypress, Texas. The suburban Houston area of Bridgeland suffered major damage last week after a line of powerful storms, that included a confirmed tornado, swept through the area. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

A truck is covered in debris as families in Bridgeland begin to clean up storm damage, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Cypress, Texas. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

A woman named Olga, who declined to give her last name, walks around her heavily damaged home as her family begins cleaning up storm damage, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Cypress, Texas. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)

People walk through a Bridgeland neighborhood as families begin cleaning up storm damage, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Cypress, Texas. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)