Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan are accused of being £21million 'serial tax evaders' by Devon and Cornwall Police as force launches civil claim against them in the UK
Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have been accused of being £21 million 'serial tax evaders' by Devon and Cornwall Police with the force filing a civil claim against the pair in the UK.
The siblings, as well as a woman referred to only as J, are accused of failing to pay a penny in tax on millions of pounds of revenue earned from businesses online between 2014 and 2022.
The UK force is seeking around £2.8 million in seven frozen bank accounts.
Sarah Clarke KC for Devon and Cornwall Police said: 'Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate are serial tax and VAT evaders.
'They, in particular Andrew Tate, are brazen about it.'
Andrew Tate pictured leaving Bucharest Court with his brother Tristan, 35, on July 4. The pair are now accused of being £21 million 'serial tax evaders' by Devon and Cornwall Police
The siblings, as well as a woman referred to only as J, are accused of failing to pay a penny in tax on millions of pounds of revenue earned from businesses online between 2014 and 2022
Andrew (C) and brother Tristan (back R) speak to journalists after being released from detention in Bucharest, Romania, on March 12, 2024
Ms Clarke quoted from a video posted online by Andrew Tate, in which he said: 'When I lived in England I refused to pay tax.'
The court heard he said his approach was 'ignore, ignore, ignore because in the end they go away'.
The court also heard the brothers had 'a huge number of bank accounts' in the UK, seven of which have been frozen.
Ms Clarke said that money 'washed around UK bank accounts' that were used 'as a mechanism for moving revenues from their business activities through a wide number of accounts'.
She told the court: 'That's what tax evasion looks like, that's what money laundering looks like.'
The money came from products they sold online as well as their OnlyFans sites. The Tates are accused of failing to pay tax and money laundering in both the UK and Romania, the court heard.
It is claimed the brothers paid just under $12 million into an account in J's name and opened a second account in her name, even though she had no role in their businesses.
Devon and Cornwall Police allege that this was fraud by false misrepresentation.
The money came from products the brothers sold online as well as their OnlyFans sites
Andrew Tate pictured leaving court in Bucharest, Romania in MArchafter a hearing
It is claimed the brothers paid just under $12 million into an account in J's name and opened a second account in her name (pictured: Tristan Tate in Bucharest in March)
Money from businesses, including Cobra Tate, Hustlers' University and War Room was paid into the first account, held with Stripe, and the majority of payments out went to one of Andrew Tate's accounts.
It was opened in February 2019 in J's name with an incorrect date of birth and later driving licenses belonging to both Andrew Tate and J were submitted as proof of identity and address to the payment service provider - Tate in October 2019 and J in June 2022.
The proceedings are civil, which uses a lower standard of proof than criminal cases with Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring deciding on the balance of probabilities whether what the police claim is true.
J also moved money through her own account, including one payment of £805,000 that was made to her Revolut account.
Of this £495,000 was paid to Andrew Tate, and £75,000 to an account in J's name that was later converted to cryptocurrency, it is alleged.
Gary Pons, for J, argued that the funds in the Gemini account were in cryptocurrency and therefore could not be frozen at that time.
The case was adjourned until Tuesday.
The claim comes after the brothers celebrated a legal victory today after courts in Romania ruled they are free to leave the country for the first time in two years.
Tate, who is a former kickboxer and controversial internet personality, posted a video to X, formerly Twitter, announcing the news this afternoon, declaring 'I AM FREE... THE SHAM CASE IS FALLING APART'.
The 37-year-old, and his brother, 35, were charged in mid-2023 with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, which they deny.
Romanian prosecutors formally indicted Tate in June along with his brother, Tristan, and two Romanian women in the same case.
All four were arrested in late December 2022 near Bucharest and have denied the allegations against them.
A spokesperson for the brothers said: 'The Romanian courts have ruled in favour of Andrew and Tristan Tate, lifting restrictions on their travel within the European Union,' adding: 'This represents a significant victory and a major step forward in the ongoing case.'
They went on to say that the decision 'is a strong affirmation of our clients' fundamental right to free movement, a cornerstone principle of the European Union.
Andrew and Tristan's lawyer, Eugene Vidineac said: 'We embrace and applaud the decision of the court today, I consider it a reflection of the exemplary behaviour and assistance of my clients.
'Andrew and Tristan are still determined to clear their name and reputation; however, they are grateful to the courts for placing this trust in them.
'For the brothers, who have faced limitations on their movement for nearly two years, this ruling is a welcome relief.
'It allows them to resume their lives with greater freedom and peace of mind.
It was opened in February 2019 in J's name with an incorrect date of birth and later driving licenses belonging to both Andrew Tate and J were submitted as proof of identity and address to the payment service provider
Romanian prosecutors formally indicted Tate in June along with his brother, Tristan, and two Romanian women in a case
'They are now able to travel freely throughout the EU to pursue professional opportunities without restriction.'
In Tate's video announcing the ruling, he paced through what appeared to be a garage lined with supercars while shirtless and said: 'For the first time in nearly three years, the judge has decided I can leave Romania.'
He also referred to the charges as a 'sham case' before referencing a platform that says it teaches the skill of money-making.
Tate repeats these sentiments in the video, adding: 'The process is the punishment, in the end I'll be innocent.'
He also protested his innocence in the one-minute-and-20-second clip.
