The Tate brothers did not own the cars featured on their social media. Legal representatives for controversial influencer Andrew Tate, 39, and his brother, Tristan Tate, 38, claimed the pair rented supercars and borrowed a yacht. The brothers, who built a huge following by showing off their extravagant lifestyle, did so to appear “uber-wealthy” and attract attention online.
Andrew and Tristan Tate’s lawyers say the brothers were ‘playing a role’ online to make money
New court documents show the brothers are fighting extradition to the UK, arguing that their luxurious lifestyle was only for show, the Daily Mail reports. According to their lawyers, the $14 million collection of Bugatti and Aston Martin cars seen in Tristan’s videos was rented. They also said the $50 million superyacht belonged to another person and was simply being promoted for money.
Their lawyers argued in support of their release that the social media posts were “obvious satire, hyperbole and promotion” and that Andrew was not even the author. They stated, “The more hyperbolic and outlandish the post, the more likely it will generate views and likes, which in turn generates income. In short, they are playing a role.”
The filing also stated that Andrew’s claim about possessing passports from Estonia, Nigeria, Poland, the UK, and the US was a joke. It also noted that he used a fake Nigerian accent while making the claim.
The submissions came after their arrests in July. Both brothers were arrested in Miami, Florida, by U.S. Marshals on a sealed warrant as British authorities seek their extradition to face 59 charges. This includes charges of rape, sex trafficking, and other offenses related to indecent images of a child and extreme pornography. The brothers have been detained at the Federal Detention Center (FDC) Miami since July 18. They deny all wrongdoing.
Originally reported by Meenakshi Sengupta for Mandatory
