Florida AG launches criminal investigation into Andrew Tate; influencer lashes out at Ron DeSantis with conspiracy theory

The Florida attorney general announced that a criminal investigation would be launched against controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate. The 38-year-old former MMA fighter lashed out at the investigation and called the move "absolute communism."

The Tate brothers landed at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida on Feb. 27 after Romania lifted a travel restriction on them.

'If these guys did criminal activity here in Florida, we will go after them with full force of law and hold them accountable.'

According to NBC News, the brothers left Romania while still under a criminal investigation regarding accusations of having formed an organized criminal group, in addition to human trafficking, the trafficking of minors, sex with a minor, and money laundering. The Tate brothers were arrested near the Romanian capital of Bucharest in 2022 along with two Romanian women.

The brothers have denied any involvement in illegal activities in Romania.

In mid-February, President Donald Trump's special envoy, Richard Grenell, raised the issue of the Tate brothers with Romania's Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu at the Munich Security Conference. Hurezeanu said he did not consider the discussion as a "form of pressure."

Last week, Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism said in a statement that the Tate brothers would be expected to appear before judicial authorities if summoned and were warned that deliberately dodging "obligations may result in judicial control being replaced with a stricter deprivation of liberty measure."

The Bucharest Tribunal has not yet set a date for a trial.

The Tate brothers hold U.S.-U.K. dual citizenship.

However, the Tates also face another criminal case in the United Kingdom, where an arrest warrant has been issued on accusations of human trafficking and rape that allegedly occurred between 2013 and 2015.

Ed Davey, a leader in the U.K.'s Liberal Democrat Party, called on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to enact an "immediate extradition" of Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan, from the United States.

"Four British women have accused Andrew Tate of rape and human trafficking, and British police have issued arrest warrants," Davey said on Wednesday. "The Tates have tried to escape justice, first to Romania and now to the United States. But I'm delighted that Florida has thankfully opened a criminal investigation."

The Tate brothers have said they "unequivocally deny" any wrongdoing in Britain.

'Florida has zero tolerance for people who abuse women and girls. We will not allow it.'

On Tuesday, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that the state would launch a criminal investigation into the brothers.

"Last week, I directed my office to work with our law enforcement partners to conduct a preliminary inquiry into Andrew and Tristan Tate," Uthmeier wrote on X. "Based on a thorough review of the evidence, I’ve directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to execute search warrants and issue subpoenas in the now-active criminal investigation into the Tate brothers."

He declared, "Florida has zero tolerance for people who abuse women and girls. We will not allow it."

Uthmeier said in an interview, "These guys have themselves publicly admitted to participating in what very much appears to be soliciting, trafficking, preying upon women around the world."

"People can spin it however they want, but in Florida, this type of behavior is viewed as atrocious. We're not going to accept it," he continued. "If these guys did criminal activity here in Florida, we will go after them with full force of law and hold them accountable."

Uthmeier said it was an active investigation and did not reveal potential crimes committed by the Tate brothers. However, one of the alleged victims from the Romanian case against the Tate brothers is a Florida woman.

The American citizen has accused the brothers of luring her to Romania under the pretense of a romantic relationship and then pressuring her to work as a pornographic webcam model, according to court documents.

The woman's attorney, Dani Pinter, praised Uthmeier for launching the new investigation.

"Florida AG Uthmeier is right to criminally investigate the Tate brothers, who have publicly boasted about exploiting women yet have continuously sought to undermine the Romanian investigation into these crimes," Pinter said in a statement. "Over 40 victims have been identified across Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They deserve justice."

The Tate brothers sued the woman for defamation in 2023. However, she filed a countersuit against them last month in Palm Beach County, Florida. A video conference hearing is scheduled for Thursday, according to the lawyer for the brothers.

BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock broke down the controversy swirling around Andrew Tate during a new episode of "Fearless with Jason Whitlock."

Joseph D. McBride, a lawyer representing the Tates, fulminated against Uthmeier and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Tuesday.

"Today, Attorney General James Uthmeier threw ethics law out of the window when he publicly took a side in an ongoing Florida lawsuit where Andrew and Tristan Tate are suing a Florida woman for orchestrating a sophisticated plot to use sex as a weapon to ruin their lives," McBride claimed.

He asserted, "Attorney General Uthmeier’s statements are inflammatory, biased, and designed to affect the outcome of our pending civil suit in Palm Beach Court."

"The so-called Florida criminal investigation initiated by Ron DeSanctimonious and his AG lapdog is as meritless as Joe Biden's 'investigation' of Trump and the subsequent raid of Mar-a-Lago," McBride said on X.

McBride challenged Uthmeier to reveal evidence of a crime or "shut the hell up."

'I am super disappointed in the United States. This isn’t the America I know. This is a sad sad day for America.'

McBride made baseless claims that DeSantis ordered an investigation for political reasons to help his wife, Casey DeSantis, if she were to run for governor of Florida in 2026. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) has already declared that he will run in the 2026 gubernatorial race.

"Ron knows that neither he nor his wife appeal to younger voters. Ron knows that Andrew Tate and Tristan have more influence over younger voters than anyone else," McBride alleged. "Ron knows that the Tate brothers vehemently support Trump and by extension will support Byron Donalds."

The day the Tates arrived in Florida, DeSantis was asked about the brothers, and he proclaimed: "Florida is not a place where you're welcome with that type of conduct."

Andrew Tate also lashed out at the decision by Florida's AG to launch an investigation into him and his brother.

"Absolute communism. I’ve been in America for 5 days. I sat on my laptop and did a podcast. Insanity,” Tate wrote in an X social media post on Tuesday.

He continued, "I am super disappointed in the United States. This isn’t the America I know. This is a sad sad day for America. Trying to find crimes on an innocent man. I’m not afraid. I’m genuinely just disappointed."

Tate also attacked DeSantis with a fallacious statement.

"DeSantis allowed feds to raid our president's home. Never forget Mar-a-Lago," Tate wrote on X. The post received a community note correcting the remark.

DeSantis had no authority to prevent a federal investigation by the FBI when agents executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago in August 2022.

'You think I'm not ready? I'm a Navy SEAL in this s**t.'

Tate also shared the conspiracy theory that DeSantis ordered a criminal investigation into the Tates for political gain.

"Ron DeSantis is attacking me because he was worried I would support Byron Donalds over his wife, knowing I have monumental political weight, and trust our commander and chief President Trump's recommendations completely," the former fighter alleged. "They attacked me to prevent me from destroying his wife's political ambitions. Interestingly, I had no interest in Floridian politics until I learnt how communist the DeSantis admin is. The game is on."

Despite Tate supporting Donalds, the Republican representative said he endorses the criminal investigation into the Tate brothers.

When asked by CBS News if he supports the AG's investigation, Donalds responded: "I do. I think that those allegations have to be fully investigated and then we go from there."

"The key thing is we don't tolerate the trafficking of women or, frankly, the abuse of women. We do not tolerate that," Donalds added. "So if the attorney general finds cause under Florida law to investigate that, then I wish him the best, and I support whatever he's going to do on that matter."

When asked if the Tates are welcome in Florida, Donalds replied: "No, quite frankly not. Because if you listen to some of the dialogue — I find it to be demeaning and disgusting. That's not about being an alpha male. That's not about being a strong man. What they stand for in my view is something totally different."

Tate suggested that he is "one of the most persecuted and hunted men on the planet." Tate also compared himself to Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X, and Trump.

During an interview with Candace Owens on Tuesday night, Tate dared Florida authorities to "f**king come get me."

"You think I'm not ready? I'm a Navy SEAL in this s**t," Tate ranted.

Tate challenged Florida authorities to come to his house and "take my stuff."

Tate then said, "You think I sleep with a phone full of evidence? You think I don't wipe my phone every night? You think I'm dumb?"

During an interview on the "PBD Podcast," Tate said he "gets more hate" than convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

BlazeTV political commentator Liz Wheeler delivered her analysis regarding Tate's "PBD Podcast" appearance in a new episode of the "Liz Wheeler Show."

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