Lawyer calls social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother serial tax evaders

LONDON — Social media influencer Andrew Tate Mockery for refusing to pay British taxes on millions of pounds in income may come back to haunt him and his brother Tristan.

An online video of Tate bragging about never paying taxes when he lived in England was used as evidence against him in a civil court case that was adjourned Tuesday for two months. Police are seeking £2.8 million ($3.6 million) in unpaid income and value added tax from the brothers’ online businesses.

“Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate are serial tax and VAT evaders,” said barrister Sarah Clarke. “They, particularly Andrew Tate, are brazen about it.”

Andrew Tate, 37, a former professional kickboxer and dual British-American citizen, and Tristan, 35, were not at the hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London. They have been banned from leaving the European Union while they face trial in Romania on charges of human trafficking, rape and form a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.

last week, a A Romanian court ruled that the Tates can leave Romania but must remain within the EU while awaiting trial.

Clarke, who represents police in Devon and Cornwall, in the southwestern corner of England, said the brothers and a woman referred to by the court as “J” did not pay tax in any country on 21 million pounds (26 .8 million dollars) in revenue earned between 2014 and 2022.

“When I lived in England I refused to pay taxes,” Tate said in a video he posted online that was cited by Clarke. “Ignore, ignore, ignore because in the end they leave.”

Clarke accused the brothers of laundering money they earned through online businesses that included Only Fans, known for pornography, Hustlers’ University and Cobra Tate. She said they laundered the money among a maze of bank accounts.

A lawyer for the Tates responded that the brothers’ wire transfers were “completely orthodox” and that their earnings had bought exotic cars, but nothing illegal.

Lawyer Martin Evans said if the brothers were trying to hide something, they did “a uniquely bad job” because they put money into accounts in their own names.

A judge adjourned the case and is expected to issue a ruling on September 9.