Florida authorities were ready to help extradite Andrew Tate to UK, email says
The controversial social media influencer flew to the US state on a private jet in February.
Florida authorities would have assisted with extraditing Andrew Tate to the UK if requested by the Government, an email shows.
The social media influencer flew to the US state on a private jet in February after a travel ban imposed on him during a human trafficking investigation was lifted.
In an email from March 7 to lawyers representing four women who accuse Tate of rape and sexual assault at the High Court in London, seen by the PA news agency, authorities in Florida said they would “assist in executing and complying” with any extradition request made by the UK.
Tate, alongside his brother Tristan Tate, is due to be extradited to the UK following the conclusion of proceedings in Romania, after Bedfordshire Police secured a European arrest warrant for separate allegations of rape and human trafficking involving different women.
Those allegations, which the two brothers “unequivocally deny”, date back to 2012-2015.
The Trump administration reportedly pressed the Romanian government to lift travel restrictions on the brothers before they were allowed to fly to Florida.
The Tate brothers checked back in at a Romanian police station last month.
In the UK High Court case, which is separate to the Bedfordshire Police investigation, four women are suing Tate after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute in 2019.
Three of the British accusers were the subject of an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary, which was closed in 2019.
On Tuesday, a hearing at the High Court heard there was a “total denial of any wrongdoing” by Tate.
The email from Florida authorities about his potential extradition, which was addressed to lawyers representing the four women, read: “I have advised the Statewide Prosecutor of our conversation and confirmed that should the United Kingdom have an extradition order that needs to be acted upon, our state authorities will assist in executing and complying.
“I hope this assists in service of process for the cases in the United Kingdom.”
The brothers were initially arrested in December 2022.
In Romania, the Tate brothers are facing allegations of trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering.
A separate case against them, in which they are accused of human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, has been sent back to prosecutors.
The brothers deny all allegations against them.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “As a matter of long-standing policy and practice, the UK will neither confirm nor deny that an extradition request has been made or received.
“Given the ongoing Romanian investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
A UK arrest warrant for the Tates has already been accepted and processed by the Romanian courts, PA understands.
Home Office sources indicated Romanian authorities have agreed that the brothers will be surrendered to the UK after the conclusion of proceedings in their country.
The Home Office is said to be concerned that a separate extradition request by the UK to the US would be seen as subverting the Romanian court process, and would potentially put at risk the agreement by the Romanians to surrender the Tates to the UK after that process is concluded.
