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The Tate brothers ran their business in an orthodox manner – lawyer
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Image caption: The court heard that Andrew Tate (right) and his brother Tristan should be allowed to keep their moneyArticle information
- Author, Callum May
- Function, BBC News
-
July 9, 2024
A lawyer for controversial influencer Andrew Tate has told a London court that payments for his online business were handled in a “perfectly orthodox” way.
Police are trying to reclaim £2.8m in what they say is unpaid tax on the earnings of Mr Tate, his brother Tristan and a third person known as J.
The court heard the brothers were “serial” and “brazen” tax evaders – and made £21million from online businesses including Only Fans – the website known for pornographic content.
They were accused of creating a “spaghetti trail” of bank accounts.
Martin Evans KC, of Tates, said on Tuesday the way the money was moved was “perfectly orthodox”.
“There were transfers into the Tates’ account. That’s the beginning, the middle and the end. What there is no separation,” he told the court.
He said the pair had not “cheated” to get the money and should therefore be allowed to keep it.
Andrew Tate, 37, and Tristan, 35, were not in court for the two-day hearing.
They were arrested last December on charges of rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang — charges they deny and for which they are expected to stand trial in Romania.
Their bail conditions currently do not allow them to leave the European Union.
Sarah Clarke KC, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said she had not paid tax in any country on her winnings.
She said the money had been “laundered” through several bank accounts in the UK.
Mr Evans told the court: “Wash is not a banking term. The banking term is transfer. What happened was totally orthodox; numerous transfers from the payment platform to the Tates.”
On Monday, Ms Clarke cited a video posted online by Andrew Tate, in which he said: “When I lived in England, I refused to pay tax.”
The court heard he said his approach was “ignore, ignore, ignore because in the end they will go away”.
The court also heard that the brothers had “a large number of bank accounts” in the UK, seven of which were frozen.
The proceedings are civil, which uses a lower standard of proof than criminal cases.
Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring will decide on the balance of probabilities whether police are entitled to freeze bank accounts and assets worth £2.8million belonging to the Tates and J.
He said he would reserve judgment for a future date.