Tate brothers' lawyers say Andrew exaggerated wealth in social media posts

Filing says rented cars, yacht promotion fueled ‘uberwealthy’ image

Lawyers for Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan argued in a Florida court submission that Andrew Tate’s social media portrayals of himself as “uberwealthy” were hyperbole designed to generate online engagement rather than literal claims of fact. The filing, made as the brothers seek release on bail while they await extradition to the United Kingdom, is the defense’s response to a prosecution argument that the brothers pose a flight risk because of their claimed wealth and influence.

In the submission, the brothers’ legal representatives said the Tates’ business model “depends on online attention.” “The outrageousness of the posts by them and about them is the point,” the filing states. “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 submission argued that Andrew Tate had at times exaggerated and used hyperbole for “comedic effect,” with no intention of being taken literally. The superyacht referenced in government filings was not owned by the Tates and they were paid to promote it, the filing said. Luxury vehicles, including an Aston Martin and Bugattis that appeared in social media content, were rented, according to the defense.

The defense filing quoted the government’s argument that the Tates are a flight risk “based on their social media claims that they are ‘self-proclaimed billionaires’ who own ‘high-end vehicles, private jets, and a custom $50-million-dollar superyacht and have unrestricted access to traditional funds, cryptocurrency, and bitcoin.’” “But the government has not established these grandiose claims are true,” the defense argued.

Prosecutors had argued that both brothers “have significant resources available to them, both in terms of money and in social media networks,” and pointed to what they described as a “propensity to intimidate vulnerable complainants.” The prosecution also cited social media posts in which Andrew Tate allegedly mocked prosecutors and suggested he could conceal his identity to evade arrest.

The defense filing added that the Tates run several businesses “teaching” men how to earn money, and that it is in their interest to portray themselves on social media as “uberwealthy.”

Andrew Tate, 39, and Tristan Tate, 38, are dual British-US citizens. Both have denied any wrongdoing. US Marshals arrested the brothers in Miami in July after the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service brought 38 new charges against them, including alleged rape and offenses related to sex trafficking. Combined with earlier charges, the brothers now face a total of 59 charges relating to alleged offenses between July 2010 and August 2017.

Andrew Tate first rose to public attention through an appearance on the British version of the reality show Big Brother in 2016. A former kickboxer, he has millions of social media followers and has appeared in numerous videos depicting an ultra-luxurious lifestyle.