Andrew Tate, the influential internet personality who is detained in Romania on suspicion of organized crime and human trafficking, appeared at prosecutors' offices on Thursday for a second day as forensic examinations continue of digital devices that have been confiscated in the case, an official said.
Tate, 36, a dual British-U.S. citizen who has nearly 5 million followers on Twitter, was initially detained in late December in Romania's capital, Bucharest. His brother, Tristan, and two Romanian women are also detained in the same case.
The Tates arrived Thursday morning handcuffed together as they were escorted by law enforcement officials into the Bucharest offices of DIICOT, Romania's Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, where devices such as mobile phones and laptops are being searched by specialists for further evidence.
Ramona Bolla, a DIICOT spokesperson, confirmed to The Associated Press that the forensic searches of the digital devices were continuing Thursday because there are "multiple devices" seized in the case and it will take time to go through them all.
As the brothers arrived at the DIICOT offices, Tristan Tate told reporters: "What evidence is there? ... There is none, that should be the story, please cover that story. The police have fabricated the evidence. There is no evidence. There is no victim."
Andrew Tate had told reporters as he left Wednesday, that "there is no evidence in my file, because I've done nothing wrong."
Both brothers will remain in detention until late February after a judge on Friday granted prosecutors' request to extend for a second time their detention by 30 days.
An online petition launched on Jan. 22 to "free Andrew and Tristan Tate from unjust imprisonment" alleges that "the Judiciary, Prosecutor and DIICOT have acted unfairly in their detention of the Tate brothers." It has so far garnered 52,000 signatures. Andrew Tate's Twitter following has increased by at least several hundred thousand since he was arrested in December.
Andrew Tate, a former professional kickboxer who has reportedly lived in Romania since 2017, was previously banned from various prominent social media platforms for expressing misogynistic views and hate speech.
After the Tates and the two women were arrested, DIICOT said in a statement that it had identified six victims in the human trafficking case who were subjected to "acts of physical violence and mental coercion" and were sexually exploited by the members of the alleged crime group.
The agency said victims were lured with pretenses of love, and later intimidated, kept under surveillance and subjected to other control tactics while being coerced into engaging in pornographic acts for substantial financial gains.
Earlier in January, Romanian authorities descended on a compound near Bucharest where they towed away a fleet of luxury cars that included a blue Rolls-Royce, a Ferrari and a Porsche. They reported seizing assets worth an estimated $3.9 million.
Prosecutors have said that if they can prove the owners gained money through illicit activities such as human trafficking, the assets would be used to cover the expenses of the investigation and to compensate victims. Tate also unsuccessfully appealed the asset seizure.
-----
McGrath reported from Sighisoara, Romania
A presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancour headed for its Election Day finale on Tuesday, as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or elevate Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.
Homeowners in France have discovered a skeleton in the attic of an outbuilding while undertaking renovation work.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed his popular defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement.
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."
A mortgage broker who totalled his Lamborghini and left a passenger with life-altering injuries after trying to pass a Toronto streetcar at nearly three times the speed limit has been handed a two-and-a-half year prison sentence.
Jason Kelce issued an apology during ESPN's 'Monday Night Countdown' after a viral video captured a 'heated moment' between the retired Super Bowl champion and a fan over the weekend.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former U.S. president Donald Trump have tied with three votes each in the tiny New Hampshire township of Dixville Notch, kicking off Election Day in one of the first places in the country to report its presidential preference.
Ukrainian troops have for the first time engaged with North Korean units that were recently deployed to help Russia in the war with its neighbour, Ukraine's defence minister said Tuesday.
A mortgage broker who totalled his Lamborghini and left a passenger with life-altering injuries after trying to pass a Toronto streetcar at nearly three times the speed limit has been handed a two-and-a-half year prison sentence.
One of Canada's most vital trade arteries is cut off as employers at most of British Columbia's ports lock out their workers in a dispute involving about 700 unionized foremen.
As Americans head to the polls for a presidential election Tuesday, their compatriots and Canadian neighbours north of the border will be watching the results with hope and anxiety.
Thousands of British Columbians woke up in dark homes Tuesday after a powerful storm knocked out power across the province’s South Coast the previous day.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
About 85 per cent of Canadians have a smartphone and once you have one they’re hard to live without. The latest smartphones can cost as much as $2,000, so if you’re trying to save money, make sure you don’t get caught in a fake smartphone scam.
A presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancour headed for its Election Day finale on Tuesday, as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or elevate Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.
Australia's foreign minister said Tuesday she raised allegations with her Indian counterpart that India has targeted Sikh activists in Canada.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former U.S. president Donald Trump have tied with three votes each in the tiny New Hampshire township of Dixville Notch, kicking off Election Day in one of the first places in the country to report its presidential preference.
Americans are facing a decision about the future of their country and no matter which president they choose, Canada cannot escape the pull of political polarization from its closest neighbour.
Police arrested a 23-year-old man Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in a botched art heist at a gallery in the southern Netherlands targeting four valuable Andy Warhol screenprints.
North Korea on Tuesday fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern sea, the South Korean military said, as the country continued its weapons demonstrations hours before the U.S. presidential election.
Canada's ambassador to the United States said Monday she doesn’t feel anxious about the American election, or its results.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says the Trudeau government is in a better position to manage trade negotiations with the next American president than it was the last time it signed a deal with the U.S. and Mexico.
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
Doctors say they are seeing an unusual spike in walking pneumonia cases in parts of Canada, particularly in kids, but their message for parents is not to panic, as treatment options are available.
A measles outbreak declared in New Brunswick’s Zone 3 last week, which includes Fredericton and the upper Saint John River Valley, has more than doubled since last week.
New research from the University of Oregon finds the annual practice of ‘springing forward’ into daylight time affects productivity more than previously thought.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
Elon Musk’s X has been modified so that accounts you’ve blocked on the social media platform can still see your public posts.
Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Monday after a six-month stay on the Tiangong space station, part of China's effort to be a global leader in space exploration.
A frustrated Taylor Swift fan is speaking out after being pushed from a short-term rental she booked for the upcoming Vancouver leg of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
Hundreds of Oasis fans are looking back in anger after falling victim to a 'landslide' of ticket selling scams.
After decades in romantic comedies, Hugh Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career.
Canada's merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $1.3 billion in September as imports fell more than exports, Statistics Canada said Tuesday.
Business groups say the work stoppage at B.C. ports is the latest in a run of supply chain disruptions affecting Canadian companies and the country's economy.
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) did not buy back any of its own shares in the third quarter, ending a six-year-long streak of stock buybacks, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Dreaming of a beach vacation? My guess is you’re picturing a palm tree. Fantasizing about life on a remote island? You’re probably envisioning a walk among birds of paradise, cannas and bananas. Nothing conjures up the feeling of the tropics like giant, lush-leaved plants, and if you live in the tropics or subtropics, you get to enjoy them year-round.
For tourists returning from vacation, a camera roll full of photos and a suitcase bursting with souvenirs are usually the closest they can come to bringing a piece of their holiday destination home with them.
A man who took in an orphaned squirrel and made it a social media star vowed Saturday that New York state's decision to seize and euthanize the animal 'won't go unheard.'
After going without a shutout for just the second time in his career last season, Jake Allen already has two for the New Jersey Devils in just five starts this year.
Jason Kelce issued an apology during ESPN's 'Monday Night Countdown' after a viral video captured a 'heated moment' between the retired Super Bowl champion and a fan over the weekend.
The International Ice Hockey Federation is preparing a proposal to add 3-on-3 hockey to the Winter Olympics as soon as 2030 in the French Alps, following the same expansion that basketball has had over the past two Summer Games.
Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
Several Ford vehicles have been recalled in Canada due to issues with braking systems, steering and child car seat tethers.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.
A Windsor teen’s social media post showing off a distinctive Windsor pizza topping has gone viral, drawing millions of views worldwide and sparking new curiosity about Windsor-style pizza.
Auston Matthews has come face to face with his look-alike. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs star met seven-year-old Grayson Joseph, who went viral for dressing up as an Auston Matthews hockey card.
A Halifax junk remover shares some of his company’s strangest discoveries.
When Leah arrived at work directing traffic around a construction site, she never expected to see a van painted in all sorts of bright colours, and covered in eclectic decorations, including a stuffed moose attached to its roof.
After 14 years of repairing and selling bicycles out of the garage of her home, a Guelph, Ont. woman’s efforts have ended – for now, at least.
Epcor says it has removed more than 20,000 goldfish from an Edmonton stormwater pond.
Witches and warlocks have been flocking to New Brunswick waterways this month, as a new Halloween tradition ripples across the province.
Mounties are investigating after one person was killed in a head-on collision on Vancouver Island over the weekend.
Thousands of British Columbians woke up in dark homes Tuesday after a powerful storm knocked out power across the province’s South Coast the previous day.
No one was injured when a train derailed early Tuesday morning in Abbotsford, but authorities said a resulting road closure was expected to last several hours.
A mortgage broker who totalled his Lamborghini and left a passenger with life-altering injuries after trying to pass a Toronto streetcar at nearly three times the speed limit has been handed a two-and-a-half year prison sentence.
About 85 per cent of Canadians have a smartphone and once you have one they’re hard to live without. The latest smartphones can cost as much as $2,000, so if you’re trying to save money, make sure you don’t get caught in a fake smartphone scam.
Two people have been transported to hospital, including one with life-threatening injuries, after a three-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Vaughan late Monday night.
Calgary police say they've arrested two people in connection with a series of carjackings on Monday.
When the Alberta government froze auto insurance rates in 2023, 60 per cent of insurers in Alberta suffered a significant financial loss, new data shows.
As expected a moisture-laden low pressure system entered Alberta late Monday bringing first rain, then snow as the temperature fell.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government is giving the City of Ottawa $48 million in new funding to support public safety on transit and in the downtown core and another $40 million to support asylum seekers.
Ottawa firefighters were called in the early hours of the morning to a fire that caused serious damage to three single-family homes in Orléans.
The City of Ottawa says a popular pedestrian bridge over the Ottawa River will close again for winter, despite many calls from residents and councillors to keep the pathway open for winter activities.
Hydro-Québec announced the launch of the first phase of development and reinforcement work on its power transmission network – the high-voltage lines that carry large quantities of electricity from where it is generated to the substations that redistribute it to clients.
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
A child around 10-years-old was severely injured after being struck by a truck in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough.
Canada's ambassador to the United States said Monday she doesn’t feel anxious about the American election, or its results.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says the Trudeau government is in a better position to manage trade negotiations with the next American president than it was the last time it signed a deal with the U.S. and Mexico.
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
The RCMP says the suspicious deaths of two people in Cole Harbour, N.S., were the result of intimate partner violence.
Nova Scotia’s top party leaders are talking traffic congestion, seniors’ health and rental disputes as the provincial election campaign continues Tuesday.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
A six-vehicle crash on Tuesday morning closed a section of the Perimeter Highway to traffic on Tuesday.
HSC Children’s Hospital is seeing an increase in the number of kids with pneumonia.
Natalie Anderson remembers the last time she saw nine-month old Xavia Butler in person.
A Saskatchewan woman has come away with more than a million dollars after winning big in the hamlet of Kuroki.
A rebate on the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on new home builds was an election promise from the Saskatchewan Party. However, the federal Conservatives have gone one step further – calling for the GST on the builds to be axed nationwide.
TeleMiracle has announced their cast list, including new and returning hosts and performers, as the fundraiser prepares to put on its 49th show.
Emergency services responded to the area of Weber Street North and Schaefer Street in Waterloo around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a collision.
Two schools are closed for the day due to an outage caused by an early morning single motor vehicle collision in the Weber Street North and Albert Street area.
The legacy of a beloved actor and comedian has added some colour to downtown Brantford.
TeleMiracle has announced their cast list, including new and returning hosts and performers, as the fundraiser prepares to put on its 49th show.
Residents of an apartment in downtown Saskatoon were left without water this weekend.
New details of a 2023 fatal stabbing — where the victim walked into Boston Pizza to get help — emerged at Saskatoon Provincial Court, during a sentencing hearing on Monday.
An 18-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder in the Temiskaming Shores area of northern Ontario following an attack on a 16-year-old female, police say.
A horse and buggy were hit by an 'inattentive' pickup truck driver on Highway 17 last week resulting in the driver being injured and horse having to be put down, police say.
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
Around 6 p.m. on Monday, police were contacted about a sewing needle found in a KitKat chocolate bar after a child tried to eat it.
There is no word yet on how the crash happened, how many vehicles were involved, or if any charges will be laid. An updated is expected some time on Tuesday.
In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."
Provincial police are investigating the death of one person following an incident involving a Canadian Pacific Kansas City train in Oro-Medonte.
Police are investigating after the home of a family of four was shot 13 times early Tuesday morning in a Cookstown neighbourhood.
A home in Coldwater was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning.
Windsor police say a 50-year-old man is facing 16 charges, including attempted murder, after a shooting in south Windsor.
A Pelissier Street parking lot is one step closer to becoming housing.
The book called “1934:The Chatham Coloured All-Stars’ Barrier-Breaking Year” has been named the winner of the 2024 Speaker’s Book Award.
Mounties are investigating after one person was killed in a head-on collision on Vancouver Island over the weekend.
Thousands of British Columbians woke up in dark homes Tuesday after a powerful storm knocked out power across the province’s South Coast the previous day.
Business groups say the work stoppage at B.C. ports is the latest in a run of supply chain disruptions affecting Canadian companies and the country's economy.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
The calendar may have just flipped to November, but Christmas is already on many people's minds.
Crowsnest Pass Mayor Blair Painter said a vote later this month is looking to hear from residents to determine if they want to see the coal industry come back to the region.
The Hurricanes weathered an early storm Saturday but eventually fell, losing 5-4 to the Rebels in a game played in Red Deer.
A 44-year-old man from Goulais River has been charged with several child pornography and related offences.
An 18-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder in the Temiskaming Shores area of northern Ontario following an attack on a 16-year-old female, police say.
A horse and buggy were hit by an 'inattentive' pickup truck driver on Highway 17 last week resulting in the driver being injured and horse having to be put down, police say.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
School staff are being struck more often, students are fighting more frequently, and police are increasingly being called to school grounds, according to data compiled and released this week by the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association.
Newfoundland and Labrador's auditor general has issued a warning about the province's financial position as the government announced it would finish the 2024-25 fiscal year with a higher-than-expected deficit.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
