Judge to decide on Tate brothers' extradition over rape charges
by Joe Fisher · UPIAug. 27 (UPI) -- Andrew and Tristan Tate are in federal court in Miami on Thursday for a hearing over their potential extradition to Britain where they face charges of rape and human trafficking.
Magistrate Judge Lauren F. Louis is presiding over Thursday's hearing as the Tate brothers have requested their release from detention. The brothers were arrested on July 18.
The brothers face 59 criminal charges, including rape, human trafficking and sexual exploitation. They are also charged with human trafficking in Romania in a case that remains open. They have denied the allegations against them.
"We are, of course, objecting to extradition because Andrew and Tristan are innocent," Joe McBride, attorney for the Tates, said after their initial hearing on July 20.
The U.S. State Department says that, under current U.S. law, it is "extremely rare that an extradition judge will release on bail a person sought in international extradition."
After the charges were filed against the Tate brothers, the Trump administration lifted travel restrictions on them, allowing them to fly from Romania to the United States in February 2025, the New York Times reported.
On July 23, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the White House will not intervene in the case.
The United States and Britain signed an extradition treaty in 2003, a pact that defines what constitutes an extraditable offense. Under this definition, a criminal charge that would normally be punished by at least one year in prison in the United States and Britain would meet the criteria for extradition.
The British government has until Sept. 16 to file an extradition request to the United States to take the Tates into custody.
Prosecutors have described the Tates as a danger to the community and highlighted the risk that they would flee and evade arrest, citing Andrew Tate stating "online that he has seven different passports and 15 driver's licenses." Tate said this in reference to his ability to "prevent authorities from determining his true identity."
Andrew Tate is a central figure in the so-called "manosphere," a niche in the social media and podcasting arena known for promoting blatant misogyny with an emphasis on a right-wing version of masculinity.
If the judge rules against them on Thursday, the Tates may request judicial review and could appeal. Such an appeal could elevate to the U.S. Supreme Court. McBride named Justice Clarence Thomas specifically while discussing the idea of seeking relief from the high court.
While the current charges against the Tates center on Europe, they have also been the subjects of an investigation in Florida. Andrew Tate was named in a subpoena by a grand jury in New York in 2023.
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