Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate, who is facing human trafficking and rape charges in Romania, has given a fiery interview to the BBC News in which he denied allegations of emotional manipulation for financial gains.
Both Tristan Tate and Andrew Tate were released from prison and placed under house arrest in April, three months after they were detained in late December on suspicion of human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group. The Tate brothers, along with two other suspects, have repeatedly denied allegations and none of them have been formally charged.
Now, in the latest interview with the BBC, which took place at Mr Tate's house in Bucharest, the former kickboxer denied fuelling a culture of misogyny and defended his reputation. He dismissed the testimonies of individual women involved in the current investigation who have accused him of rape and exploitation. And he even described another woman, who was interviewed anonymously by the outlet earlier this year, as "imaginary," saying she had been invented by the BBC.
The woman in question, who goes by the pseudonym Sophie, claimed that she followed Mr Tate to Romania believing he was in love with her. There, she was allegedly pressured into webcam work and into having Mr Tate's name tattooed on her body, she claimed.
When Mr Tate was questioned about Sophie's testimony, he told BBC's Lucy Williamson: "I'm doing you the favour as legacy media, giving you relevance, by speaking to you. And I'm telling you now, this Sophie, which the BBC has invented, who has no face. Nobody knows who she is. I know".
Also Read | Jordan Crown Prince Weds Saudi Architect In Lavish Ceremony
Further, in the interview, Mr Tate was asked about the concerns of rights campaigners including the chief executive of Rape Crisis in England and Wales, who said she was "deeply concerned by the dangerous ideology of misogynistic rape culture that Mr Tate spreads". Mr Tate called these accusations "absolute garbage" and later said that it was "completely disingenuous" to "pretend" his viewers were having a harmful effect on young people.
"I preach hard work, discipline. I'm an athlete, I preach anti-drugs, I preach religion, I preach no alcohol, I preach no knife crime. Every single problem with modern society I'm against," he said.
Mr Tate also suggested that some of his comments had been taken out of context or intended as "jokes" - including a video discussion in which he stated that a woman's intimate parts belong to her male partner. "I don't know if you understand what sarcasm is. I don't know if you understand what context is. I don't know if you understand what's satirical content," he said.
Also Read | Landlord In Canada Fatally Shoots Young Couple Over Tenant Dispute: Cops
Ms Williamson then asked Mr Tate about a previous version of Hustlers University, stating that Mr Tate had described his job on there as "meet a girl, go on a few dates, sleep with her, get her to fall in love with me to where she'd do anything I say, and then get her on a webcam so we could become rich together" in a description that was later taken down. When asked about it Mr Tate replied: "I've never said that".
"I genuinely am a force for good in the world. You may not understand that yet, but you will eventually. And I genuinely believe I am acting under the instruction of God to do good things, and I want to make the world a better place." he said.
Notably, as per the BBC, the Tate brothers are now in their sixth and last month under judicial control in this investigation. Any indictment is expected within the next few weeks.
