Romanian prosecutors announced on Tuesday that Andrew Tate, a social media influencer, his brother Tristan, and two others are being investigated for human trafficking. The prosecutors deemed this to be a more serious offense than separate counts of trafficking. The Tate brothers and the two Romanian female suspects are currently under house arrest as the investigation continues. They are being accused of human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal gang to exploit women sexually. However, the suspects have denied these allegations. The charges have been filed against them, but the case is still under investigation and has yet to go to trial. The prosecutors are expected to commit them for trial later this month. The Tate brothers and the other suspects were in police custody from December 29 until March 31 when a court in Bucharest placed them under house arrest. On Tuesday, the DIICOT anti-organized crime prosecuting unit notified the Tate brothers that the charge of human trafficking had changed to trafficking in a continued form. This change in the charge carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years under Romanian law. Additionally, one more victim has been added to the case, which initially started with six women. The legal team representing the Tate brothers stated that Tuesday’s changes were in the suspects’ “legal interest” and that the revised legal framework would ensure an impartial investigation is upheld. In another development on Tuesday, DIICOT prosecutors announced that a separate criminal investigation has been opened against a Romanian man connected to the Tate brothers. This investigation involves allegations of human trafficking and forming a criminal group to exploit seven women. The prosecutors allege that this individual, Vlad Obuzic, together with two other suspects, recruited their victims by deceitfully establishing relationships or promising marriage. The victims were then coerced into producing pornographic content for social media, with the suspects taking most of the profits. Prosecutors have stated that to ensure the victims’ loyalty and compliance, they were forced to tattoo the name or face of the group member exploiting them.