A woman in the United States has filed a lawsuit against internet personalities Andrew and Tristan Tate, accusing them of forcing her into sex work, luring her to Romania, and defaming her after she testified against them.
The lawsuit, filed in Florida on Monday, marks the first legal action against the Tate brothers in the US, according to a report by The New York Times.
The woman, identified as “Jane Doe” in court documents, claims the Tate brothers conspired to coerce her into sex work and later tried to “bully and harass” her by suing her for defamation in 2023. Due to safety concerns, she and her parents were granted anonymity by the court.
Andrew and Tristan Tate, former kickboxers with dual US and British citizenship, are already facing multiple legal challenges in Romania and Britain. They are accused of forming an organized criminal group, human trafficking, trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, and money laundering. The brothers have denied all allegations.
In Romania, Andrew Tate was recently released from house arrest but remains under preventative measures as a second criminal investigation continues. A previous case against him was dismissed in December after the Bucharest Court of Appeals ruled in his favor, sending the case back to prosecutors.
Joseph D. McBride, a lawyer representing the Tates, told *The New York Times* that there is no evidence his clients engaged in human trafficking. “The truth is on their side,” McBride said.
The lawsuit adds to the growing legal troubles for the Tate brothers, who are among the highest-profile figures facing trial for human trafficking in Romania.
