Controversial social media personality Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan, have been accused of failing to pay any tax on \u00a321 million (NZ$44m) of revenue from their online businesses.<\/p>\n
Devon and Cornwall police are bringing a civil claim against the brothers and a third person, referred to only as J.<\/p>\n
They are accused of paying no tax in any country on their online business revenue between 2014 and 2022.<\/p>\n
The force is seeking to recover around \u00a32.8m in seven frozen bank accounts, an application the three defendants are contesting.<\/p>\n
“Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate are serial tax and VAT evaders,” Sarah Clarke KC for Devon and Cornwall Police told Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday.<\/p>\n
“They, in particular Andrew Tate, are brazen about it.”<\/p>\n
Clarke quoted from a video posted online by Andrew Tate, in which he said: “When I lived in England I refused to pay tax.”<\/p>\n
The court heard he said his approach was “ignore, ignore, ignore because in the end they go away”.<\/p>\n
The court also heard that the brothers had “a huge number of bank accounts” in the UK, seven of which have been frozen.<\/p>\n
Clarke said the money – from various products sold on websites including OnlyFans – had been “washed around” a huge number of UK bank accounts.<\/p>\n
As well as owning extensive land, property and vehicles in Romania, the Tates had spent their earnings on “fast cars and property”, Clarke said.<\/p>\n
“That’s what tax evasion looks like, that’s what money laundering looks like,” she told the court.<\/p>\n
The brothers are accused of paying just under $12m into an account in J’s name, and opening a second account in her name, even though she had no role in their businesses, the court heard.<\/p>\n
Devon and Cornwall Police allege that this was fraud by false misrepresentation.<\/p>\n
Clarke said all three would not provide any evidence in the case.<\/p>\n
Money from the brothers’ businesses including Cobra Tate, Hustlers’ University and War Room was paid into the first account, held with payment service provider Stripe.<\/p>\n
It was opened in February 2019 in J’s name with an incorrect date of birth, the court heard. Driving licences belonging to both Andrew Tate and J were later submitted to Stripe as proof of identity and address.<\/p>\n
The majority of payments out of this account went to one of Andrew Tate’s accounts, the court heard.<\/p>\n
J also moved money through her own Revolut bank account, including one payment of \u00a3805,000, the court heard.<\/p>\n
Of this, \u00a3495,000 was paid to Andrew Tate, and \u00a375,000 to an account in J’s name that was later converted to cryptocurrency, it is alleged.<\/p>\n
The proceedings are civil, which uses a lower standard of proof than criminal cases.<\/p>\n
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring will decide on the balance of probabilities whether what the police claim is true.<\/p>\n
The case was adjourned until Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Andrew Tate is a self-described misogynist and was\u00a0previously banned from social media platforms<\/a>\u00a0for expressing misogynistic views.<\/p>\n