A Palm Beach County Circuit judge recently ruled that the defamation lawsuit brought by controversial social media personality Andrew Tate against a Florida woman can move forward, while dismissing several related allegations. The lawsuit, which centers on claims that the woman falsely accused Tate and his brother, Tristan, of serious crimes, has been partially upheld and partially dismissed by Judge Joseph Curley.
The ruling permits the Tates to present their case to a jury, focusing on their claim that the woman conspired with another individual in 2022 to extort money from them. The brothers allege that the woman’s accusations of human trafficking and rape resulted in significant damage to their reputations and financial losses from their lucrative social media and business ventures. Romanian authorities have indicted the Tates on charges of forcing victims into pornography and physical violence.
The woman’s attorneys argue that the lawsuit is retaliatory, stemming from her decision to report the Tates to the authorities. The Associated Press typically does not identify individuals who allege sexual assault.
Judge Curley’s recent decision, made public on Tuesday, allows the Tates’ claims of defamation and extortion to proceed. The judge cited text messages exchanged between the woman and her friend in April 2022, where they discussed soliciting $200,000 from the Tates and “acting like we still love them and stuff.” Other messages suggest that the woman might have known her accusations were false.
However, Curley dismissed portions of the lawsuit, including claims related to false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and interference with business relationships. The judge has left open the possibility for these claims to be amended and refiled.
Additionally, the judge dismissed accusations against the woman’s parents, ruling that they acted within their rights to report their daughter’s allegations to U.S. diplomatic officials. The parents had no reason to doubt their daughter’s claims, Curley stated.
The Tates’ attorney, Joseph McBride, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, emphasizing that the defamation claim directly addresses their concerns about the alleged extortion plot. No decision has yet been made on whether to amend and refile the dismissed claims.
Dani Pinter, attorney for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation Law, which represents the woman and her parents, hailed the ruling as a significant victory. She described the lawsuit as “frivolous” and expressed confidence in proving the truth of the events in Romania, asserting that the lawsuit would ultimately fail.
“We are very pleased the Court has tossed out the majority of this frivolous lawsuit and wisely narrowed the issues and claims,” Dani said in the statement. “If the case proceeds, we look forward to the opportunity to prove the truth of what occurred in Romania, and we are confident that ultimately we will succeed and this harassing lawsuit will fail.”
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Romanian prosecutors allege that the Tates, along with two Romanian women, formed a criminal organization in 2021 to commit human trafficking across Romania, the United States, and Britain. They have seized the Tates’ assets, including luxury vehicles, watches, and approximately $3 million in cryptocurrency. The indictment claims that the seven victims were deceived with false declarations of love, then coerced into pornography under duress and constant surveillance.
In contrast, the Tates contend that the Florida woman and other residents at their estate were free to come and go as they wished, supported by closed-circuit security footage.
Earlier this month, a Romanian judge lifted a year-long travel ban on the Tates, allowing them to remain within the European Union while awaiting trial.
Andrew Tate, who has been banned from several social media platforms for hate speech and misogynistic comments, maintains a substantial following on X, where he boasts nearly 10 million followers. He runs an online academy claiming to teach young men about wealth and relationships.
The Tates also face civil claims in Britain and criminal charges related to sexual aggression. Details of these proceedings have yet to be disclosed. In a 2023 BBC interview, Andrew Tate denied fostering misogyny or manipulating women for financial gain.
