Lawyer says Tate brothers will return to UK to face rape and trafficking charges

LONDON (AP) — Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate will return to Britain to defend themselves against rape, trafficking and other charges, their lawyers said Thursday.

Prosecutors authorized charges in January 2024 against the Tates, dual U.S. and British citizens who moved to Romania in 2016. But the Crown Prosecution Service did not announce the charges involving several women until Wednesday.

Lawyers said the brothers, who are currently facing charges in Romania, are at a disadvantage because British prosecutors have not shared any information with them about the charges.

“These are historic allegations and our clients are not even being told who the supposed victims are,” the Holborn Adams law firm said in a statement. “This ... demonstrates a different approach on the basis of the profile of our clients.”

The former professional kickboxers have millions of followers on social media. Andrew has drawn a much larger following with self-professed misogyny that has drawn boys and young men to the luxurious lifestyle he projects.

Andrew Tate, 38, faces 10 charges related to three women that include rape, actual bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain, prosecutors said. Tristan Tate, 36, faces 11 charges related to one woman that include rape, human trafficking and actual bodily harm.

The allegations from Bedfordshire, a county north of London where the brothers grew up, date back to between 2012 to 2015.

The Tates were arrested in Romania in late 2022 and formally indicted last year on charges that they participated in a criminal ring there that lured women who were allegedly sexually exploited. Andrew Tate was also charged with rape.

The siblings have denied all the allegations in Romania, and an appeals court there said in December that a human trafficking case could not proceed because of legal and procedural irregularities.

Romanian courts have issued an order to extradite the two to the U.K. once their court case is concluded in there, British prosecutors said.

Lawyers for the Tates said they may have information that could undermine the allegations, but police and prosecutors won't speak with them.

They said the Tates would return to England when their cases in Romania conclude, and that they will be aggressively defended.

Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan, top left, arrives at a police station in a Lada vehicle in Voluntari, Romania, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

FILE - Andrew Tate, left, and his brother Tristan, right, wait at the Court of Appeals building in Bucharest, Romania, on Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)

FILE - Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate arrive, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, File)

FILE- Police officers escort Andrew Tate, center, handcuffed to his brother Tristan Tate, to the Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru, File)

FILE - Andrew Tate, left, and his brother Tristan arrive at the Bucharest Tribunal in Bucharest, Romania, Feb. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)

DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) — A jury has been seated in the assault trial of Stefon Diggs, a former New England Patriots wide receiver accused of assaulting his private chef.

The four-time Pro Bowl wideout has pleaded not guilty to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge stemming from the December incident. Opening statements could begin as early as Monday afternoon after jurors receive instructions.

Diggs declined to speak to reporters as he arrived at Norfolk County District Court in Dedham, a Boston suburb.

According to court records, the chef told officers that she and Diggs had argued about money he owed her for work. During the Dec. 2 encounter at his home in Dedham, Massachusetts, she said, he “smacked her across the face” and then “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck,” leaving her feeling short of breath. She told officers she had trouble breathing and felt she could have blacked out.

Diggs’ attorney has said he “categorically denies these allegations,” calling them unsubstantiated and motivated by a financial dispute. Diggs did not speak to reporters outside court in February.

Diggs signed a three-year, $69 million contract with New England last year and was a key target for quarterback Drake Maye during the Patriots’ AFC East title run. Before joining the Patriots, Diggs was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 and played for the Buffalo Bills before a brief stint with the Houston Texans in 2024.

Diggs’ 1,000-yard season with the Patriots marked the seventh of his career. It helped complete a successful career revival after a season-ending knee injury derailed what turned out to be a one-year stay with the Houston Texans in 2024.

Diggs, who led the team with 85 receptions and 1,013 yards receiving with four touchdowns in his only season with the Patriots, was released by the team in March. Diggs posted a goodbye on social media, thanking the Patriots for the season and saying: “We family forever.”

Diggs has yet to sign with another team.

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs arrives at Norfolk County District Court, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)