In brief
Andrew and Tristan Tate appeared before a federal judge in Miami as extradition proceedings to the United Kingdom begin. The duo face a total of 59 charges, including rape and sex‑trafficking, stemming from evidence collected over a seven‑year period. Their lawyer, Joe McBride, declared the extradition a witch hunt and said the brothers would fight the charges. A follow‑up hearing is set for 27 July, and a final decision will rest with the U.S. administration.
Andrew and Tristan Tate have appeared before a federal judge in Miami, marking the start of extradition proceedings to the United Kingdom over a growing list of criminal charges that include rape and sex‑trafficking.
The brothers have been held in a Florida jail since their arrest on Saturday after the Crown Prosecution Service announced 38 new charges that would bring the total to 59. They deny any wrongdoing and claim the cases are political.
Following the brief hearing, the brothers’ attorney, Joe McBride, denied any liability and compared the extradition to a witch hunt. He called the charges political kidnapping and said the defendants would fight the extradition. "They’ve never done nothing wrong," McBride said.
The judge scheduled a further hearing for 27 July. The final extradition decision will rest with the U.S. administration.
The alleged offenses spanned from July 2010 to August 2017. The brothers face additional charges in Romania for human trafficking, forming an organised group to sexually exploit women, and a civil case involving a former client who claims coercion into sex work.
