London: In order to "scare them into silence," two accusers of divisive social media personality Andrew Tate, who is accused of rape and human trafficking in Romania, have been the targets of "targeted" harassment, according to their legal advisor in the United States, who spoke to ABC News.
Last month, Tate, 36, and his brother Tristan, 34, were arrested in Romania and charged with rape, human trafficking, and organising a gang, along with two other people. Prosecutors in Romania accuse the four of forcing seven women to work for a webcam company at the Tates' Bucharest home in exchange for sexual favours. Prosecutors claim that one woman was raped at least twice, and another was subjected to physical abuse in order to force her to continue performing.
The Tate brothers, who hold dual citizenship in the United States and the United Kingdom, have vehemently denied the allegations, claiming that they are the targets of a plot to punish them for their divisive opinions. They have also accused the women of lying.
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On social media, both brothers have millions of followers, and their content is polarising enough to attract throngs of devoted followers. They advocate for a "alpha male" way of life and are well known for their openly misogynistic ideologies. Following a complaint from anti-hate speech campaign groups that his accounts encouraged violent misogyny, Tate himself, who has been dubbed the "king of toxic masculinity," is still blocked from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Two women, one from Florida and the other Moldovan-British, are being represented by Dani Pinter, senior legal counsel at the American nonprofit National Centre on Sexual Exploitation, according to Romanian prosecutors, who claim they were lured to Romania and subsequently sexually exploited. A woman among them claims to have been raped.
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The two women have endured a barrage of harassment since the Tate brothers were detained in Romania last year, according to Pinter, who also claimed that a "troll army" has been launching online attacks against them in an effort to discredit the alleged victims. The attorney charged Tate with encouraging his supporters' attacks through his social media posts, but she claimed she lacked concrete proof and Tate has denied doing so.
"I've never seen anything like it," Pinter said in a recent interview with ABC News.
Tate's enormous social media following, according to Pinter, has been used against her clients, who are dealing with tens of thousands of threats and persistent attempts to intimidate and discredit them. According to Pinter, supporters of the brothers have leaked private information about her clients and their family members online. At least two private investigators have also been after her clients, looking into their backgrounds and visiting their homes.
The Tate brothers claim that the allegations of rape and human trafficking are untrue and have filed a lawsuit in Florida's Palm Beach County against both women, the Florida woman's parents, and another man. The lawsuit, which asks for $5 million in damages, claims that the five conspired to fabricate the charges, imprisoning the Tates and costing them millions of dollars in lost revenue.
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The Law Centre for the National Centre on Sexual Exploitation claimed to have "heard the news about the Tates' lawsuit."
The centre said in a statement to ABC News on Friday, "We do not believe the lawsuit has any merit. We are evaluating next steps while we wait for them to give formal notice.