Four women who allege they were sexually abused by Andrew Tate have filed a complaint with the press regulator over an interview with the influencer and his brother in The Spectator magazine. The women, who have brought a high court claim against Tate for rape, coercive control, and assault, argue that the article by deputy editor Freddy Gray is inaccurate and misleading.
In the piece, Gray writes that he believes the criminal cases against the brothers will 'melt away', a claim the women describe as 'disgusting'. Their lawyer has accused the magazine, edited by former Conservative cabinet minister Michael Gove, of glamorising the Tates, who deny all civil and criminal allegations. The women stated: 'These are men who UK authorities have authorised 21 charges against for alleged crimes including rape, actual bodily harm and human trafficking.'
The complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) alleges that Gray misrepresents the status of the Romanian criminal case. The women's lawyers say court records show the case was returned to prosecutors due to procedural irregularities, not because evidence was 'not strong enough'. They also note the article omits an extradition order to the UK, approved by Romanian courts in 2024, leaving readers with an incomplete picture.
In the UK, Andrew Tate faces ten charges including rape and human trafficking, while Tristan Tate faces eleven charges including rape and actual bodily harm. The women's lawyers further criticise the article for uncritically repeating the Tates' claims of being 'set up' by Romanian authorities and targeted by a 'deep state' operation, without challenge. The article does note the Tates refused to name a PR company they alleged offered them $50m to stop speaking.
The women's lawyer, Matt Jury, also raised concerns about Gray's description of the Tates' 'Hustlers University' as an 'online platform for young men looking for purpose and ways to make money'. The Spectator has been contacted for comment.
