"WE LIVE IN AN ATTENTION SOCIETY"
ANDREW TATE: WHO MADE THE 'TOP G'
Andrew Tate is a former world-beating kickboxer notorious for his aggressively misogynistic message - but you probably know that.
What’s often hidden by the outrage he causes is the machine of his mass appeal - reaching out to boys and young men with motivational videos and get-rich-quick schemes.
THE TATE EFFECT
Enys Kelmeni, 19, is a vocal supporter of Andrew Tate
Over the last month, The News Movement has spoken to friends, colleagues, fans and critics of Tate about his views, his businesses and his recent arrest in Romania.
Some described him as a man who is “playing a character” for attention and fame. Others cast doubt on the legitimacy of his wealth and his wild claims about his net worth
Some defended him and the webcam operation he runs, which is now the centre of a human trafficking investigation.
"My client has only legal business in Romania," Eugen Vidineac, Tate's lawyer, said.
THE TATE MACHINE
The influencer has created a loyal following of young men who want what he has - strength, money, women, cars - and he’s monetised their attention through an affiliate marketing scheme called Hustlers University.
Tate's moneymaking machine relies on social media and attention
ARREST AND CONTROVERSY
Tate deliberately makes controversial statements and wild claims about his own wealth
WHO IS THE REAL ANDREW TATE?
But Daniel Knight, his close friend and former kickboxing sponsor, told The News Movement that Tate was “playing a character” to boost his online presence - something which developed from his fighting days.
Describing Tate’s persona before he was famous, he said: “His arrogance just took him places. I don’t think there was anyone that was going to get in his way.”
Knight said that Tate noticed that making controversial statements about masculinity and women drew attention even while he was a rising star in the ring, adding: “I truly believe that Tate’s playing a character to get more exposure.”
A team at TNM sifted through hours of interview footage and explored his family history for insight on how he formed the opinions that made him - in his own words - “the most famous misogynist on the internet”.
Tate openly described his father as . In a social media post, Tate’s father described his own childhood and the “savage hands” of his father, saying he had thought about killing him.
"If I f***ed up he would hit me"
His attitude towards women was also informed by learning to make money from them - building webcam porn businesses over more than a decade.
Tate is accused of using the “loverboy method” - manipulating women into believing they were in a relationship with him in order to traffic and sexually exploit them.
Oana Tascau, 45, is a former border guard who worked in Tate’s Romanian webcam business. She said her boyfriend had introduced her to Tate so that she could learn how to make money in the industry.
Asked about his open admission that he would use emotional manipulation “make women fall in love” with him and get them webcamming for him, Oana said: “The loverboy method is a well-known one. The fact they fall for him I don’t think it’s his fault in the same way it’s not any man’s fault when a woman falls in love with him.”
Haley McNamara, a director at the US-based National Centre on Sexual Exploitation, is representing women involved in the case against Tate.
She told TNM that more women had come forward since the case began, adding that the complainants in the Romanian case had suffered a series of attacks by “armies of trolls online”. She added that Tate’s fans had accused the women of lying and threatened to “dox” them - or release personal details including their home addresses online.
“We’ve essentially made our legal services available to survivors of Andrew Tate,” she said. The NCOSE has appealed for potential “survivors” of Tate to speak out since the arrests, she said, adding: “We have had some responses.”
She declined to give details of the new claims but, asked how many more women had come forward so far, she added: “I can say a couple”.
HIS IMPACT
Campaigners concerned about Tate’s message on women said that young men struggling to find male role models were attracted by Tate’s wealth, strength and confidence.
After speaking to his supporters and investigating his online presence it became clear that many fans were more attracted to the other faces of Tate - the get-rich-quick coach, the self-help guru and the motivational fitness trainer.
He’s so popular among some young men that his arrest led to street protests in Greece.
Enys Kelmeni, 19, said: “People hate to hear the truth and the truth hurts people. I feel like these people that are seeing Andrew Tate they just don’t want men to be the best versions of themselves and be strong, masculine men.”
Enys believes women like controlling men
Tate makes money from attention on social media and the outrage he generates from misogyny. He also profits from targeting young men hungry for a wealthy, womanising lifestyle and selling them video courses on how to make money online.
So who made Andrew Tate? Maybe we all did, whether through comments, shares or clicks - even the one that brought you here.