US Marshals Detain Andrew and Tristan Tate in Miami on UK Extradition Request
U.S. authorities arrested social media personalities Andrew and Tristan Tate in Miami following a British extradition request related to multiple sexual-offense charges.
U.S. Marshals detained brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate in Miami on Saturday after the United Kingdom filed an extradition request tied to investigations of sexual offenses reported by seven victims, the UK Crown Prosecution Service said.
The elder Tate faces 42 counts, including rape, human trafficking, possession of indecent images of a child and assault, while his brother is charged with 17 counts that include sexual assault, rape and trafficking, according to Bedfordshire Police and the Crown Prosecution Service.
"Officers from our major crime unit have been working closely alongside the Crown Prosecution Service and both national and international law enforcement agencies as part of this complex investigation," Bedfordshire Assistant Chief Constable Karena Thomas said.
The brothers are expected to appear before a federal court in Miami next week, a law-enforcement source said.
The Department of Justice confirmed the arrests were made "pursuant to extradition proceedings" and complied with the treaties and agreements governing Justice Department extraditions.
Their attorney, Joseph McBride, asserted the brothers' innocence and argued that a standing agreement between the UK and Romania prevents extradition while Romanian proceedings are ongoing, adding that no nation should override another's judicial sovereignty for political reasons.
Both men hold dual U.S. and British citizenship. The latest charges build on earlier allegations investigated by Bedfordshire Police in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire areas, with Romanian prosecutors previously accusing the pair of trafficking women across Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States.