The Bucharest Court of Appeal has accepted the request of blogger and former kickboxer Andrew Tate for a reassessment of assets seized by the state in early 2023, valued at $10 million, including 21 BTC (approximately $980,000 at the time of writing). This was reported by Reuters.
In June, Tate, along with his brother Tristan and two Romanian women, was charged with human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal group to exploit women.
As part of the criminal investigation, investigators seized personal belongings from the influencer, around 18 million lei (~$4 million), luxury cars, and designer watches. A month later, prosecutors also confiscated real estate and digital assets.
In December, the Bucharest court dismissed Tate’s lawsuit against the property seizure, but the appellate court accepted his petition.
“We welcome today’s decision and applaud the judge for what we consider a legally correct and well-founded decision,” said lead defense attorney Eugen Vidineac.
Until the hearings conclude, all assets of the accused will remain under government control. The main court date has not yet been set.
The Tates were held in custody awaiting trial from late December 2022 to April 2023 due to the risk of flight. Later, the brothers were placed under house arrest, and since August, they have been under judicial supervision.
Andrew Tate is a disgraced influencer, millionaire, and former MMA fighter, also known for his outspoken misogynistic remarks. All his channels on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram are banned.
In December 2022, the blogger spoke about the advantages of Bitcoin over fiat currency. He stated that the first cryptocurrency and blockchain allow people, not governments, to control their money and property.