Tate brothers' lawyer seeks bail as US court reviews UK extradition request
Attorney Howard Srebnick asked a Miami magistrate to release Andrew and Tristan Tate on bail while they contest a British extradition request on rape and trafficking charges.
A Miami magistrate judge was urged on Thursday to grant bail to social-media personalities Andrew and Tristan Tate as they fight a UK extradition request. Their lawyer, Howard Srebnick, argued that the brothers’ history of appearing in Romanian courts while on pre-trial release shows they are not a flight risk.
"The brothers have been fully compliant with their conditions of release," Srebnick told the court.
The twins, who hold both U.S. and British citizenship, were detained in Miami on 18 July after Britain sought their extradition on allegations of rape, assault and facilitating sexual-exploitation trafficking. They have denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami highlighted a presumption in favor of detention in international extradition cases, citing British authorities’ claims that the brothers strangled victims during forced rapes and could attempt to flee. They also referenced Romanian allegations that the Tates tried to influence witness statements, threatened to disclose private information about alleged victims, and offered bribes.
The defense countered that the brothers’ high public profile would make flight unlikely and proposed conditions including posting bond, surrendering passports and wearing a location-monitoring device. The extradition hearing could extend for months, with British prosecutors required to submit a full request by 16 September.
The current British charges stem from alleged offenses involving four victims between July 2010 and August 2017, adding to earlier accusations related to three other victims.