This story has been updated to clarify how the pizza boxes came into play.
Earlier this week, climate change activist Greta Thunberg got into it online with Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer, TikTok star, and controversial influencer who, until recently, had been kicked off most social media platforms. Now, a new development: The 36-year-old, his brother Tristan Tate, and two other suspects have been arrested in Romania after a raid on multiple properties in Bucharest. Per the Guardian, authorities say Tate is being held on charges of human trafficking, rape, and organized crime. His lawyer has confirmed his detention to Reuters. More on the ongoing saga:
- Details: Per a translation of a statement from Romania's anti-organized crime unit, Tate and the other suspects "appear to have created an organized crime group with the purpose of recruiting, housing, and exploiting women by forcing them to create pornographic content meant to be seen on specialized websites for a cost." Six women who were allegedly exploited have been IDed so far.
- His capture: The Independent initially reported that Tate may have been busted by authorities thanks to his own retort to Thunberg, which included a video of him in front of pizza boxes from a local joint called Jerry's Pizza. Sources said to be "close to the investigation" told the Romanian news outlet Gandul that Romanian authorities have been waiting for months for Tate and his brother to return to Romania, and that his social media posts confirmed they were back. Some online took that to mean that the pizza boxes were his undoing, but a rep from the crime unit now tells Reuters that's not the case.