A few weeks ago, hundreds of followers of the Tate brothers protested outside the Miami correctional facility where they have been detained since July 18 of this year. It was a somewhat peculiar protest, involving doing push-ups while demanding the release of the former athletes, who are facing charges of rape and human trafficking.
Fans of Andrew and Tristan Tate belong to the popularly known manosphere and firmly believe in the sexist, misogynistic, racist philosophy, and a long list of other isms of the former kickboxers. They showcased on social media an opulent lifestyle filled with high-end cars, luxuries, and women as objects fluttering around. A life that their followers aspire to and believe they could achieve by becoming real men. Men who must do push-ups, have one or several submissive girlfriends by their side, and get rich following their advice.
However, a statement from the brothers' lawyer has just been leaked that could forever change the perception some of these followers had of them. It appears that behind the content where they flaunted wealth, there was a great deception.
"Andrew and Tristan are social media personalities and their business model depends on the attention they generate online," wrote the lawyer in a letter to the court, referring to an accusation related to cryptocurrency fraud. To defend them, the attorney argued that the former athletes are not as wealthy as they portrayed themselves to be.
"The provocative nature of the posts is precisely the goal. The more exaggerated and extravagant they are, the more likely they are to get views and 'likes', which translates into higher income," the letter reads. "In short, they are playing a character," the text continues.
"A promotional video filmed aboard a yacht does not prove they are the owners. The 'superyacht' does not belong to the Tates; they were paid to promote it on social media," it goes on. "The Tates are involved in various businesses that aim to 'teach' men how to make money, so it benefits them to present themselves on social media as extremely wealthy individuals."
The lawyer provides specific examples of cars that appeared in the brothers' posts pretending to be their own. "The $2.1 million Aston Martin and the $5 million and $7 million Bugattis were rented," he revealed.
Tomorrow, August 27, a court hearing will take place in Florida. The federal judge will decide whether to grant the former athletes bail or if they should remain in prison. Meanwhile, a decision is being made on whether Andrew and Tristan Tate will be extradited to the UK, as new charges have been filed there. Born in the United States and raised in England, the Tates hold dual British-American citizenship.
Andrew Tate is the most famous of the brothers and the one who achieved the most in the world of kickboxing, having won four world championships in different weight classes. He also faces the most legal charges. In 2022, he was arrested in Romania with his brother on charges of domestic violence, pimping, and other sexual offenses.
Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan remain in custody in Miami, awaiting the court hearing on Thursday, the 27th. During this appearance, the federal judge will determine whether to grant them bail or if they will remain in federal custody while their extradition process to the UK is underway.
Andrew Tate currently faces 17 charges of rape, 19 for distributing pornography (including videos of minors), three for human trafficking, and three for domestic violence for allegedly strangling several victims.
Meanwhile, Tristan faces two charges of rape, three of human trafficking, one of sexual abuse, and various allegations from women who claim the former athlete hit them in the face or assaulted them with belts and other objects. In total, he faces 17 charges.
If proven, it could be said that the only real aspect of their content was the misogyny they carried out.