Report exposes scale of alleged UK grooming gang scandal
Fox News host Will Cain covered a major U.K. inquiry alleging widespread child sexual exploitation by organized grooming gangs across 149 local authority areas. The findings describe abuse spanning decades and estimate that as many as 250,000 people may have been victimized nationwide.
Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, were taken into custody Saturday in Miami after U.S. Marshals arrested the controversial social media figures on a sealed warrant, as British prosecutors unveiled dozens of additional criminal charges and moved to secure their extradition.
“Today, U.S. Marshals in the Southern District of Florida arrested Andrew and Tristan Tate pursuant to extradition proceedings,” a Justice Department spokesperson told INC News. “These arrests were made in accordance with the treaties and law enforcement agreements governing Justice Department extraditions.”
Bedfordshire Police separately confirmed that the brothers were arrested Saturday in Miami as part of a U.K. investigation into alleged sexual offenses dating back to 2012.
Images and video published by TMZ appeared to show federal agents placing the brothers in handcuffs outside the James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami, where Andrew Tate had been expected to attend a bare-knuckle boxing event.
Social media influencers Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, were arrested Saturday in Miami. (Andrei Pungovschi/Reuters, File)
The arrests followed an announcement from Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service, which said it had authorized a significant expansion of the criminal case against the brothers. Bedfordshire Police said the new counts raise the total number of charges to 59, with Andrew Tate facing 42 and Tristan Tate facing 17.
The CPS said Andrew Tate’s additional charges include rape, arranging or facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and offenses tied to alleged indecent images of a child and extreme pornography. Prosecutors said Tristan Tate faces further charges of rape, sexual assault and trafficking.
The CPS said the alleged crimes span from 2010 to 2017 and involve four additional alleged victims, bringing the total number of alleged victims in the U.K. case to seven.
“The CPS has requested the extradition of the Tates from the US,” Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said in a statement. “They have been arrested and await extradition proceedings to the UK.”
Bedfordshire Police said the new charges bring the total against the brothers to 59. (Andrei Pungovschi/Getty Images, File)
A law enforcement source told INC News the charges stem from the United Kingdom and that the arrest warrant is expected to be unsealed to reveal the U.K. charges.
The brothers are expected to make an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida early next week.
Assistant Chief Constable Karena Thomas of Bedfordshire Police said investigators had worked closely with prosecutors and international law enforcement agencies throughout the case. “There is no place for male violence against women and girls, and we will continue to work tirelessly to support victims and investigate all reports made to us,” Thomas said.
Andrew and Tristan Tate have denied wrongdoing.
Andrew and Tristan Tate hold dual U.S. and British citizenship and rose to fame as so-called “manosphere” influencers. (Daniel Mihailescu/AFP, File)
The brothers, who hold dual U.S. and British citizenship, rose to fame as “manosphere” influencers, building millions of followers with content promoting hypermasculinity and male non-monogamy. They have denied criminal allegations filed against them in Romania and the United Kingdom.
Neither the U.S. Marshals Service nor the Justice Department has publicly identified the basis for Saturday’s sealed warrant, according to the AP.
The brothers’ attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to TMZ.
