Andrew Tate to 'go back to prison' in bizarre publicity stunt

The controversial influencer and internet personality Andrew Tate is livestreaming himself for 24 hours in a fake jail cell, following his release from a real-life cell awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking.

The former kickboxer posted a promotional video for the stunt on Twitter, saying: “I’m going back to jail. On August 12, Saturday at 10pm Romanian Time. I will spend 24 hours inside a re-creation of my experience in jail. No phones, No freedom.”

Tate and his brother Tristan, both of whom have dual US and British citizenship, were charged in June along with two Romanian female suspects of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. The suspects have denied the allegations.

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Tate started the stream around 8 pm GMT and is mostly just the Tate brothers lounging around in a pretend prison cell with two bunk beds and a toilet in the middle of the room.

Highlights of the stream have included Tate wondering around the cell, talking to Tristan, reading, sleeping, smoking, eating and trying to do 1000 pushups.

On 4 August a Romanian court placed Tate under judicial control, a less restrictive measure than the house arrest he had previously been subject to. He was held in a cell for 92 days earlier this year.

The latest publicity stunt appears to be designed to garner sympathy among his loud, mostly male and often misogynistic fanbase. Tate has repeatedly bemoaned his detention, and the latest video includes stock footage of cockroaches, which he says he shared his cell with.

Romania’s anti-organised crime agency alleges the Tate brothers and two other defendants formed a criminal group in 2021 “in order to commit the crime of human trafficking” in Romania as well as the US and Britain.

The agency alleges that seven female victims were deceived and transported to Romania, including some who were “misled” by “false claims of marriage and love”.

The alleged victims were taken to buildings in Ilfov county where prosecutors said they were sexually exploited and subjected to physical violence by the gang. One defendant is accused of raping a woman twice in March 2022, according to the statement.

Tate, who has lived in Romania since 2017, and his brother have denied all of the allegations, with a trial due to take place.

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