A 23-year-old American woman has filed the first United States lawsuit against internet personalities Andrew and Tristan Tate, accusing them of attempting to coerce her into sex work and subsequent defamation, according to court documents filed Monday in Florida.
The plaintiff, proceeding anonymously as Jane Doe, alleges the brothers tried to lure her to Romania and later engaged in harassment following her testimony to Romanian authorities. The court granted anonymity to Doe and her parents citing safety concerns, the New York Times reported.
The civil complaint comes amid ongoing legal challenges facing the Tate brothers in multiple jurisdictions. The brothers had previously filed a defamation suit against the woman in 2023, which she characterizes in her filing as an attempt to “bully and harass” her.
Joseph D. McBride, attorney for the Tate brothers, told the Times there was no evidence supporting human trafficking allegations against his clients, maintaining their innocence.
The brothers face separate criminal investigations in Romania, where Andrew Tate was recently released from house arrest to a lighter preventative measure. A previous criminal case collapsed in December when the Bucharest Court of Appeals ruled against proceeding to trial.
The Tates, former kickboxers with dual U.S. and British citizenship, are among the highest-profile suspects in Romanian human trafficking investigations. They face accusations including forming an organized criminal group, human trafficking, and money laundering. Both have consistently denied all wrongdoing.
Representatives for the Tate brothers were not immediately available for comment on the Florida lawsuit.
Reuters
