Summary

• Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan are being held in Romania for investigation into human trafficking and rape which they denied.
• They are suspected to be part of an organized crime group that recruits young individuals into forced participation in pornographic content.
• Andrew Tate had gained a following online by promoting a lavish lifestyle but also faced controversies in the past

British-American online influencer Andrew Tate has lost his bid to end his detention in Romania, where he and his brother Tristan are being held as part of an investigation into allegations of human trafficking and rape. The Tates have denied all the allegations, which stem from suspicion that they are part of an organized crime group that is alleged to have run a "loverboy method" of recruiting young individuals into forced participation in pornographic content. The brothers were arrested on December 29th, and police have identified six individuals who they allege were "sexually exploited" by this group.

Tate had previously made a name for himself online by promoting a lavish, ultra-masculine lifestyle, and gained a sizable following, particularly among young men. However, he has also been the subject of controversy in the past; he was removed from the British version of reality TV show Big Brother over a video that appeared to show him attacking a woman. Additionally, he was banned from Twitter for making a statement where he said that women should "bear responsibility" for being sexually assaulted. He has since been reinstated on the platform.

The Tates' lawyer, Eugen Vidineac, has said that his clients reject all the allegations made against them. On Tuesday, a court rejected their appeal to end their detention, and police will continue to hold them for the full 30-day period.

During the court appearance Tate was seen carrying what appeared to be a copy of Quran while entering Bucharest Appeal court. It's not known if that has any relevance on his case.