Andrew Tate, Brother Tristan Released from Romanian Jail and Placed Under House Arrest

The internet personality, his brother Tristan Tate and two Romanian women had been detained in a Romanian jail since December

Andrew Tate has been placed under house arrest after spending months in a Romanian jail.

The internet personality, 36 — along with his brother Tristan Tate and two Romanian women — was detained in December in connection to an investigation dealing with human trafficking, rape and forming an organized crime group.

Ramona Bolla, a spokesperson for the Romanian anti-organized crime agency DIICOT, told the Associated Press that Andrew challenged a judge's decision last week that would have extended his arrest a fourth time for 30 days.

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PEOPLE has reached out to DIICOT for comment but did not immediately hear back.

On Friday, all four individuals were released and were placed under house arrest until April 29, Bolla told the AP, which reported that none of the individuals have been formally indicted yet.

Tate's communications director, Mateea Petrescu, told Sky News, "They are not a flight risk, and they are not a danger to public safety, therefore [the authorities] have decided to release them under house arrest."

Added Petrescu: "[It's] just a small step — they are still under investigation. They are absolutely ecstatic. They kept their spirits [in jail], they are really thrilled and looking forward to being at home — they have kept their optimism throughout."

The Tate brothers have been under investigation since April, according to the Romanian daily newspaper Gândul.

The publication said the investigation into the group began after a complaint was received that "a woman with American citizenship was being forcibly held at their residence."

Several young women were found in a building located about 500 meters from the Bucharest villa, according to the paper. The American woman told investigators she met Tristan through a social media network, and he convinced her to buy a plane ticket to Romania. The woman contacted her ex-boyfriend, who reported the crime to the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest.

Since the investigation began, reported the BBC, six women have been identified by prosecutors as victims.

As the individuals were released on Friday, according to the AP, Tristan, 34, told a crowd of reporters, "The judges today made the right decision. I respect what they've done for me and they will be vindicated in their decision because I'm an innocent man and I can't wait to prove it."

Making a return to social media the same day, he wrote on Twitter, "4 months without putting on a pair of alligator shoes. The struggle was real."

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Andrew also posted to Twitter following the release. Alongside a video of him smoking a cigar, he wrote: "Since last year, I've been in 24-hour lockdown. No yard time. Pacing a 3metre cell with zero electronics or outside contact. Absolute clarity of mind. Real thoughts. Real plans. Vivid pain. One hour home, and I can't stand my phone. Some habits die hard. We must defeat Shaytan."