Andrew Tate, the divisive internet influencer who is charged in Romania with rape, human trafficking, and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, won an appeal on Friday to be released from house arrest and will instead be put under judicial control measures, his spokesperson said. The Bucharest Court of Appeals made the decision after prosecutors formally indicted Tate in June, along with his brother Tristan and two Romanian women, in the same case. All four were arrested in late December near Bucharest and have denied the allegations against them.

The court's ruling replaces Tate's house arrest with judicial control for a period of 60 days, starting from August 4 until October 2. The exact restrictions that Tate will face were not immediately made public, but it is known that he won't be able to leave the country. The investigation into his alleged crimes will continue.

According to Romania's Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), the four defendants are accused of forming an organized crime group to carry out human trafficking in Romania, the U.K., and the U.S. DIICOT alleges that seven victims were recruited by two of the defendants, who misled them about their romantic intentions. The victims were then taken to houses where they were verbally and physically intimidated, and sexually exploited.

The agency further claims that Andrew Tate repeatedly raped one of the alleged victims. A Romanian judge will have 60 days to review the case before the trial begins, which is expected to take years. No start date for the proceedings has been announced.

Andrew Tate, a former boxer and martial artist, gained notoriety for spreading hate speech, misogyny, and violence on social media. He has been banned by Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for violating their policies on dangerous organizations and individuals. He was suspended by Twitter in 2017 but was reinstated later.

Tate's release from house arrest has been met with mixed reactions. Some believe in his innocence and view the case as a political conspiracy to silence him, while others see it as a victory for justice. Tate's spokesperson expressed confidence in their ability to prove their innocence and vindicate their reputation.

The investigation into the case will continue, and prosecutors have ordered the confiscation of the Tate brothers' assets, including luxury watches and approximately $3 million in cryptocurrency. As the trial progresses, the judicial system will determine the final outcome, and the truth behind the allegations will be revealed.