Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer and an online influencer, was arrested on charges of human trafficking and rape in December, causing shock and controversy in the online community.
Luxury cars, homes, and watches with a total value in the millions of dollars were seized by authorities in Romania, where the British-American influencer resides.
What happened to his crypto holdings?
I will buy some more bitcoin today.
Im diamond hands along with you brother. https://t.co/hEWRsFlkhg
— Andrew Tate (@Cobratate) December 18, 2022
Andrew Tate frequently boasted about the size of his cryptocurrency investments, even claiming to have scammed people through his webcam business.
According to Mateea Petrescu, the spokesperson for Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan, who were both arrested, the Romanian authorities also confiscated hardware wallets containing digital assets.
Petrescu stated that Andrew Tate’s wallet contained five Bitcoins, which is currently valued at approximately $111,339, while Tristan’s wallet held around 16 Bitcoins. In total, the seized Bitcoins were worth approximately $467,625.
According to Petrescu, the spokesperson for Andrew and Tristan Tate, the Bitcoin belonging to Andrew was stored in his girlfriend’s hardware wallet. However, it is unclear whether Andrew owned more cryptocurrency that has yet to be seized by authorities.
The Romanian Police declined to comment on the matter.
Andrew Tate has frequently discussed Bitcoin, expressing his support for the cryptocurrency’s decentralization and the freedom it gives individuals to control and own their money.
Last year, in an appearance on Anthony Pompliano’s popular Bitcoin podcast, Tate said, “How difficult is it to move serious cash? No problem with Bitcoin.” He went on to say, “I’m going full crazy mister blockchain now.”
During the same podcast, Tate, who spent his early years in Luton, UK, revealed how much profit he had made from his cryptocurrency investments, stating “I turned $600,000 into $12 million.”
Last year, Andrew Tate, who is now facing serious charges in Romania, was banned from several social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for violating their policies.
Andrew Tate, a former Big Brother contestant, faced controversy and criticism for some of his comments. However, despite sparking controversy with some of his comments, he gained a large following in a short period, thanks to others sharing clips of him on social media platforms like TikTok.
Tate was involved in managing webcam models in Romania, but he has been facing serious charges by the authorities in Romania. According to a Reuters report, which cites court documents, prosecutors claim that the brothers wanted to “transform” women who worked for them “into slaves”.
How much Bitcoin does Andrew Tate hold?
It’s unlikely that the seized Bitcoins represent the entirety of his crypto holdings. According to blockchain intelligence firm Elliptic, the digital wallets associated with Hustler’s University had received around $2.5 million as of last January.
Tate claims to have earned millions from his trading activities and to have earned approximately the same amount monthly from the $49 tuition fees he charges. He has also talked about his use of cryptocurrency to avoid the questioning of banks regarding transfer activities.
In one online clip, Tate stated, “Whereas with Bitcoin, I press two buttons, it costs me 35 cents and it’s done in three minutes. That’s why Bitcoin will never go to zero.”