A court in the United Kingdom (UK) ruled on Wednesday (Dec 18) that police could seize more than $2.5 million (over 2 million pounds) to cover years of unpaid taxes from professional kickboxer turned influencers Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate.
A report by the news agency Associated Press said that the Devon and Cornwall Police force went to Westminster’s Magistrates’ Court to claim the money, held in frozen bank accounts, from the Tate brothers and a woman only identified as J.
At the court, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring ruled that financial transactions by Andrew and Tristan were a “straightforward cheat” of the tax authorities.
One of these financial transactions included a transfer of almost $12 million into an account in the name of J.
‘Tate brothers are serial tax evaders’
In the court, a lawyer for the Devon and Cornwall Police force said that the Tate brothers were serial tax evaders who failed to pay any tax on $26.68 million in revenue from their online businesses which include the popular Hustlers’ University, War Room, and OnlyFans, between 2014 and 2022.
The Associated Press report said that during a court hearing in July, lawyer Sarah Clarke quoted from a video posted online by Andrew where he said, “When I lived in England I refused to pay tax.”
Clarke said that J was not involved with the business of the Tate brothers.
‘They did nothing illegal’
On Wednesday, a lawyer for the Tate brothers said that the bank transfers were “entirely orthodox” for people who run online businesses.
The lawyer said his clients spent money on a number of “exotic motor cars,” but did nothing illegal. The proceedings in this case are civil.
Also watch | Andrew Tate’s cars seized
Chief Magistrate Goldspring said in his ruling that the Tate brothers had been liable to register with the tax authorities and declare and pay tax on revenue in Britain and/or Romania, where they have lived since 2017.
Goldspring found that Andrew and Tristan’s “entire financial arrangements are consistent with concerted tax evasion and money laundering.”
Andrew responds to court ruling
Andrew Tate has reacted to the court ruling. In a post on X, Tate said, “First they said I was a human trafficker, but couldn’t find a single girl to testify. So instead they stole all the money they could find from banks.”
When they fail to control your influence, they audit your influence.
When they fail to match your power, they nitpick your paperwork.
They want the world to believe that a man of mastery can be reduced to a headline in a lying newspaper.
The Matrix does not tolerate defiance,… https://t.co/b4XQnpq2AL
— Andrew Tate (@Cobratate) December 18, 2024
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“If you speak against power they will do anything to destroy you,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)