Influencer Andrew Tate facing charges in Romania leaves for US

Influencer Andrew Tate, facing charges of human trafficking and rape in Romania, left for the United States on Thursday, airport sources told AFP, the first time he is has been out of the eastern European country since his 2022 arrest.

Romanian prosecutors allege that former kickboxer Tate, 38, his brother Tristan, 36, and two women set up a criminal organisation in Romania and Britain in early 2021 and sexually exploited several victims.

The brothers, who have British and American nationality and who are under judicial control in Romania, insist they are innocent.

They left together to the United States, airport sources told AFP.

The Romanian organised crime squad DIICOT said the two brothers remained "under judicial supervision" and had to "appear before the judicial authorities at every summons".

"Violation in bad faith of the obligations incumbent on them may lead to the replacement of judicial control with a higher custodial measure," DIICOT said.

Romanian aviation news media BoardingPass said "a Gulfstream G550 private jet took off from Bucharest, Romania, bound for Fort Lauderdale" in Florida -- where US President Donald Trump has his resort -- just after 6:00 am (0400 GMT) on Thursday.

"The flight... will be operated non-stop and will last 12 hours," it added.