Andrew Tate, a controversial influencer, has threatened to sue at least one of the women who have accused him of rape and human trafficking.
According to the woman's US attorneys, a US law firm on behalf of Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan sent a "cease-and-desist" letter in December.
If she did not retract her statements, the woman and her parents would be sued for $300 million (£249 million), according to the letter.
The Tates are pursuing legitimate defamation claims, according to a lawyer for the Tates.
The letter, which was ostensibly sent on the brothers' behalf, has been seen by the BBC in a redacted form.
You lied to a third party in April 2022 when you claimed that our Client had held you against your will, abused you, and trafficked you. Additionally, you have repeatedly made false and defamatory claims about the Tate brothers to the police, the media, and another American citizen. ".
In Romania, police are currently looking into allegations of trafficking and rape, which both Andrew and Tristan Tate deny, and are holding them in preventative custody during their investigation.
The National Centre on Sexual Exploitation's Benjamin Bull claims that his client is a crucial witness in the Romanian investigation and that the letter was intended to accomplish "one thing and one thing only":.
He claimed that the goal was to silence the witness and prevent him from contributing to any proceedings.
"They want these young women to run away, hide in a hole, never speak up about what they saw or what happened to them. It is obviously an intimidation attempt. ".
The cease-and-desist letter was sent in December as part of a civil case in the US for slander and defamation, but the Tates' attorneys have confirmed this to the BBC while denying any intimidation.
One of their attorneys, Tina Glandian, asserted that it was not unusual for them to pursue legitimate legal defamation claims. She said that the Tates' current incarceration was in no way an excuse for them to give up on asserting their legal rights.
Six women are thought to have testified in relation to the rape and trafficking allegations, at least in part. Charges have not yet been filed.
The brothers' legal team also disclosed that two women, including the witness who got the cease-and-desist letter in December, were the targets of criminal complaints the Tates brothers filed in Romania in April.
According to Ms. Glandian, the criminal complaints from April were brought forth in response to claims that the Tate brothers were imprisoning two women against their will.
She stated, "There was absolutely no proof of that, which is why [the Tates] were not detained in April. They had every right to file criminal complaints for having their homes searched and property seized because [at the time] they were nothing more than the targets of false accusations. ".
She claims that the outcomes of those criminal complaints are still pending.
Benjamin Bull, who represents some of the Tate investigation's witnesses, claims that the impact of legal action has been upsetting and intimidating for his clients.
However, Dani Pinter, a member of the same legal team, claims that online harassment that many of her clients experience for speaking out is just as intimidating as the threat of legal action.
Tate's supporters regularly share high-quality videos intended to humiliate and harass them, she told me.
Making incredibly obscene claims, trying to slut shame them, and accusing them of lying. However, that also contains their personal information—such as where they work and who their family members are—clearly with the intent to cause harassment. And it's effective. ".
She claims that she is receiving death threats for the two alleged victims.
They are utterly terrified. Both of them are hiding. They believe they cannot establish themselves anywhere because people are looking for them. ".
The identities of the six women in their case have been kept strictly confidential by the prosecution. However, some people's full names have been posted on social media.
Additionally, the US communications team for the Tates mentioned the identities of two witnesses in a statement to the BBC. The BBC is not releasing their names.
While in custody, Andrew Tate and his brother are unable to access their social media, but they have amassed a sizable and devoted online community of followers.
Some accounts seem to be fully-staffed businesses that frequently release videos and documents meant to refute the claims made by witnesses and other women against the Tates.
One of the most active accounts earlier this week published the full name, social media handles, and WhatsApp messages of one of the investigation's alleged victims.
Although the BBC requested a comment from the account, it has not yet heard back.
Anyone who merely scratches the surface of this tale may become a target.
Daria Gusa discussed receiving a private message from Andrew Tate's Instagram account when she was 16 years old in interviews with the BBC and other media outlets. It adhered to the format he had outlined in his online speeches on how to capture a woman's interest and exert influence over her.
She made no accusations that he had broken any laws.
She told me, "I got a bunch of messages. The majority came from individuals accusing me of lying or calling me a slut. ".
However, she also reported receiving "10 to 15 threats" online.
In a text message, a man informed Daria, "I know you're studying at this university, the schedule is published online, and I know where you are.".
She claims that several of her friends who appear to have interacted with him have remained silent about their encounters.
She said, "It's not just the people who work for him. "I think it's completely understandable that so many girls don't want to speak out because there are basically millions of men out there who really idolize these people and would do anything to protect them and their image. ".
The exact owners of some of the most popular accounts supporting the Tates are unknown, as is the extent of their cooperation.
However, there can be significant risks involved for women who publicly accuse Andrew Tate, and those risks can come from a variety of sources.
