Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier provided an update Monday on the state's criminal investigation of social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate while facing rape and human trafficking charges in Romania after they briefly arrived in the state last week.
James Uthmeier recently opened a criminal probe into the Tate brothers, and stated he would hold them accountable if their supposed crimes "trigger Florida jurisdiction."
Andrew and Tristan Tate arrived in Florida after Romanian prosecutors lifted travel restrictions on the pair in their ongoing human trafficking case. The brothers left Florida on Thursday.
The Tate's have denied all wrongdoing.
"To the best of my knowledge, the Tate brothers are not in Florida right now. The investigation is still ongoing. These guys are charged with pretty horrific offenses around the world. There are victims that have come forward around the world. And we're looking at possible victims and possible conduct that may have taken place on Florida's soil," Uthmeier said speaking to reporters in Tampa.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also said the brothers were "not welcome" in the state.
"Look. We didn't want these guys to come here. I don't know how they got here, but at the end of the day, if you're here you're a criminal if you're going to engage in activities that go after women, that go after our kids, we're going to come after you," Uthmeier said.
"If you are soliciting and trafficking minors in our state, you belong in the dark cold back of a jail cell. That's a matter of fact," Uthmeier added.
Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa) backed Uthmeier's sentiment on the Tate probe.
"This is about what's right and what's wrong. Here in Florida, we don't back down from the hard conversations. We never have. We never will. "When Florida leads. America wins. And I'm happy to stand forward and say this does not meet the write and wrong indicator," Collins said.
Andrew Tate, in particular, is a self-proclaimed "misogynist" and former kickboxer with millions of followers on X. His controversial remarks include that women should "bear responsibility" for sexual assault.
"Would you want your children to pick up on what they are saying? Would you want your children to do what they do?" Collins asked. If we fail to act, we fail to stand forward and say what's right and wrong. We're failing period. We're failing our children. We have to stand strong on things like this."
