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

LONDON (AP) — Social media influencer Andrew Tate’s taunts over refusing to pay British taxes on millions of pounds in revenue may come back to haunt him and his brother Tristan.

An online video of Tate bragging of never paying taxes when he lived in England was used as evidence against him in a civil court case that was adjourned on Tuesday for two months. Police are seeking 2.8 million pounds ($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,” attorney Sarah Clarke said. “They, in particular Andrew Tate, are brazen about it.”

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

Last week, a court in Romania ruled that the Tates can leave Romania but must remain within the EU as they await trial.

Clarke, who represents police in Devon and Cornwall in the southwest corner of England, said the brothers and a woman referred to in court as “J” did not pay taxes in any country on 21 million pounds ($26.8 million) in revenue earned between 2014 and 2022.

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

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 washed the money between a maze of bank accounts.

A lawyer for the Tates countered that bank transfers by the brothers were “entirely orthodox” and that they had bought exotic cars but nothing illegal with their earnings.

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

A judge adjourned the case and is expected to issue a judgment on Sept. 9.

Brian Melley, The Associated Press