Police Seize Over £2 Million from Controversial Influencer Andrew Tate and His Brother Tristan for Tax Evasion
Devon and Cornwall Police have been granted permission to seize over £2 million from Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan after a court found they failed to pay tax on £21 million in revenue from their online businesses. The funds, held in seven frozen bank accounts, were connected to a third person referred to as “J.”
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring at Westminster Magistrates’ Court described the financial setup as a “straightforward cheat of the revenue,” hidden within what he termed a “complex financial matrix.” It was revealed during the proceedings that the brothers had paid nearly $12 million (£9.5 million) into an account in J’s name, despite her having no role in their online ventures, which include the War Room, Hustlers’ University, Cobra Tate, and OnlyFans.
Detectives also linked some of the money to the human trafficking allegations the brothers face in Romania. Andrew Tate had publicly stated he had not paid taxes in the UK, adopting a strategy of “ignore, ignore, ignore” until the issue went away. The police argued that the brothers’ substantial earnings between 2014 and 2022 seemed dubious given their lack of significant qualifications, business experience, or declared assets.
Judge Goldspring noted that the brothers provided no evidence of legitimate tax payments during the proceedings, relying instead on their lawyers’ assertions that the cash movements were part of legitimate business activities. In his written ruling, he expressed satisfaction that the brothers had engaged in deliberate conduct to evade taxes, noting that their entire financial setup pointed to consistent tax evasion and money laundering.
As a result of the ruling, Devon and Cornwall Police can now seize £2,683,345 in total, including cryptocurrency. Andrew Tate described the decision as “not justice” and claimed he was the victim of a “coordinated attack.” He referred to the situation as part of a larger conspiracy, stating, “Speak against the matrix, and they’ll come for your freedom, your reputation, and your livelihood.“
Andrew Tate has been banned from TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook for posting hate speech and misogynistic contentbut remains on X with more than 10 million followers. In June last year, Romanian prosecutors charged him with rape, human trafficking, and forming a criminal gang. His brother, Tristan, faces similar allegations, with Romanian authorities claiming their case involves seven alleged victims recruited through false promises of love and marriage.
Judge Goldspring stated that one of the accounts was used to move money connected to the Romanian allegations against the brothers, supporting the conclusion that none of these funds were declared to tax authorities in either the UK or Romania. He noted that the entire financial arrangements were consistent with concerted tax evasion and money laundering.
Devon and Cornwall Police welcomed the decision, stating that the ruling demonstrated the brothers had evaded taxesand laundered money through bank accounts located in Devon. The force spokesperson mentioned they would refrain from further comment until the 28-day appeal period has concluded.
Separately, Bedfordshire Police is seeking the extradition of the Tate brothers to the UK concerning allegations of rape and human trafficking, which they deny. A judge in Bucharest has ruled that the extradition request will be dealt with after the conclusion of the case in Romania.
