The arrest of Andrew Tate, a controversial social media figure, in late December on charges of human trafficking and rape, has caused much speculation as to the origin of his wealth. His claims of owning 15 casinos in Romania in partnership with local mafiosi has been a particular source of intrigue.
Tate, a British-American ex-champion kickboxer, has earned the nickname ‘The King of Toxic Masculinity’ for his distasteful comments about women, and has amassed a large group of young male followers on Twitter who are enthralled by his ultra-masculine gangster lifestyle.
On December 30, he was arrested in Bucharest alongside his younger brother, Tristan, and two Romanian citizens for allegedly threatening women into entering his adult webcam business. The Tates have denied the charges.
Tate has said he chose to move to Romania because “corruption is far more accessible” and it’s easier to get away with rape charges there than in the West.
His webcam business has been explicitly exposed in his “Hustler University” videos, where he offers “business” tips on how to groom women for the porn industry. However, his involvement with casinos is far less certain.
In one video, Tate claims to have partnered with three mafia brothers who own 400 casinos throughout Eastern Europe. He offers to open locations and split the profits, even if the casinos make no money. He also offers to go to war with his own money against the brothers’ number one competitor in Romania.
Though Tate’s 4.5 million Twitter followers may believe him, there is no evidence to support his claims of owning 15 casinos that make him a million dollars a month. The only “week historical link” to a casino chain is Las Vegas Games, which appears to be owned by an Armenian group since 2018.
Should Tate’s case ultimately go to trial, it may be possible to determine the true extent of his wealth and business interests in Romania. Until then, Tate’s claims should be met with scepticism – after all, he has previously declared himself to be the “world’s first trillionaire” on a Twitch stream.
