Following revelations that Andrew Tate obtained a golden passport at roughly the same time as his 2022 arrest in Romania for rape and human trafficking, Vanuatu officials are considering renouncing his citizenship.
An Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project investigation reveals that the self-described sexist influencer obtained citizenship under a fast-track programme for persons who invest at least $130,000 (£96,000) in the small Pacific archipelago.
The program has sparked security questions and caused the European Union to suspend Vanuatu’s visa-free access in late 2024.
According to a government spokeswoman from Vanuatu, authorities were “definitely looking at Tate’s citizenship”.
“The government does not want to encourage persons of dubious backgrounds to be granted citizenship,” he said. “Those who are sought for by their countries or who are under police authority investigation from abroad are not welcome to be part of the citizens of Vanuatu.”
For nations like Vanuatu, passports for sale or citizenship by investment programs provide money. Said Aubrey Belford, Pacific head editor at OCCRP, they have also been misused by oligarchs, organized crime suspects, even intelligence officers.
December 2022 saw Tate awarded citizenship by Vanuatu. Tate and his brother Tristan were jailed in Romania that same month; they have since mainly been subject to travel restrictions there.
Vanuatu does not formally have a treaty for extradition with Romania.
Tristan Tate apparently also obtained Vanuatu citizenship.
Additionally singled out for the impact authorities in the UK have had in disseminating sexism online among boys and young men is his influence.
Although both of the Tate boys were born in the US, following their parents’ divorce they went to Luton, UK with their mother.
They have refutes claims of criminal activity.
Separately, the UK is looking for their extradition from Romania following charges in 2024 of rape, actual bodily harm, and people trafficking.
Lawyers for the brothers have claimed that they will go back to the UK to answer those charges resulting from allegations between 2012 and 2015.
After the end of any trial conducted in the UK, a Romanian court has decided the brothers could be deported there.
