Andrew and Tristan Tate appear in Miami court as US extradition hearing begins
The Tate brothers were brought before a federal judge in Miami to start US proceedings that could lead to their extradition to the United Kingdom on multiple sexual-offence charges.
Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan appeared in a federal courtroom in Miami on Monday, marking the start of US extradition proceedings to the United Kingdom. The brothers, who have been detained in a Florida jail since their arrest on Saturday, face a total of 59 charges, including rape and sex trafficking, stemming from alleged offenses between July 2010 and August 2017.
The Crown Prosecution Service in England and Wales announced 38 new charges after receiving additional evidence from Bedfordshire Police, bringing the number of alleged victims to seven. The pair also face separate human-trafficking and sexual-exploitation charges in Romania, which they deny.
Both men, dual British-US citizens, were escorted in light-brown prison uniforms, handcuffed and shackled at the waist and ankles. When asked if they understood their rights, they responded affirmatively.
"They've never done nothing wrong. They shouldn't be extradited for crimes they didn't commit," said their attorney, Joe McBride, after the hearing.
McBride estimated that the extradition process could take about 60 days and noted that a final decision would rest with the US administration. The judge scheduled the next hearing for 27 July.
In addition to the criminal cases, the brothers face a civil lawsuit in the United States from a woman alleging they forced her into sex work and later defamed her after she cooperated with Romanian authorities.