Self-described misogynist influencer Andrew Tate secured a “golden passport” from the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu the month he was arrested in Romania on charges including rape and human trafficking, according to information obtained by The Guardian.
Tate allegedly received the passport through a citizenship-by-investment program that allows foreign nationals to buy citizenship for USD 130,000, according to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Intelligence Online.
In 2021, The Guardian showed that Vanuatu sold passports, granting buyers visa-free access to the UK and EU. Thousands of individuals bought such passports, including those facing serious allegations or sanctioned. In December, the EU revoked the visa-free travel agreement because of its concerns over the scheme.
More significantly, Vanuatu does not have a formal extradition arrangement with Romania. Tate will, however, be surrendered to Britain after the legal proceedings in Romania, according to the British government.
Tate’s citizenship was granted in December 2022, according to NXT Citizen, the agency that submitted the application, OCCRP reported. That month, Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan, 36, were arrested by Romanian authorities on charges of human trafficking and forming an organized crime group and rape. His passport was issued in January 2023 while he was still being held in pre-trial detention, it has been claimed.
In Romania, the Tates face accusations of trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering, all of which they deny.
Last week, prosecutors in the United Kingdom confirmed for the first time the full list of 21 charges Andrew and Tristan Tate will face when they are returned to the UK. The list includes rape, actual bodily harm, and human trafficking.
(Photo source: Inquam Photos | Eduard Vinatoru)
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