VOUX Click, SE 256th Street, Kent, WA (2025)

12/12/2023

‘They just kind of stole my money,’ safety deposit box owner fumes after $57k vanished from his vault thanks to the FBI https://ift.tt/615rhdY

Joseph Ruiz from California rented a safety deposit box from US Private Vaults in February 2021 in which he

A MAN lost his life savings for months after an unconstitutional FBI raid of safety deposit boxes, according to a lawsuit.

Joseph Ruiz from California rented a safety deposit box from US Private Vaults in February 2021 in which he kept all of his money.

Joseph Ruiz rented a safety deposit box from US Private Vaults and his life savings of $57,000 was seized in an FBI raid that may have been unconstitutional[/caption]

A class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of customers who had their belongings taken by the FBI during the raid[/caption]

An indictment alleged that the safety deposit box company and its customers were money laundering and allowing drug dealers to store fentanyl, guns, and cash.

On March 22, 2021, the FBI and the DEA broke into around 1,400 boxes and seized the contents following a warrant to investigate the claims.

While the agencies managed to seize guns, drugs, jewelry, and $86 million in cash, many Price Vaults customers lost their belongings despite having no criminal connections and breaking no laws.

In addition to this, the warrant granted by US Magistrate Steve Kim stated that it did “not authorize a criminal search or seizure of the contents of the safety deposit boxes.”

Kim added that the contents of the boxes had to be returned to the owners.

As a result, customers have launched a class-action lawsuit to get their property back.

Under forfeiture laws, law enforcement can only seize items if they are connected to criminal activity.

According to the Institute for Justice, the organization filing the lawsuit on behalf of the safety deposit box customers, the FBI’s “government games” have “hurt box renters” like Ruiz.

The 47-year-old kept $57,000 in his safety deposit box, some of which was money from a car accident that gave him a spinal injury and left him unemployed, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“They just kind of stole my money,” Ruiz told the outlet.

He added that a federal agent asked him if he belonged to a drug cartel as he tried to retrieve his money.

“I’m made out to be a criminal, and I didn’t do anything. I’m a law-abiding citizen.”

After the seizure of the cash that he used for medical care and food, Ruiz was unable to get medical treatment.

“The FBI now refuses to give anyone their property back until they come forward and submit to an ‘investigation,'” the Institute for Justice claims.

“In other words, the government wants to force people to prove their own innocence to get their own stuff back.”

Following the raid, signage was put up on the door of the raided businesses instructing customers to “initiate a claim for your U.S. Private Vaults Box,” via the FBI wesbite.

“Although the government has indicted USPV [for money laundering], the government has not accused USPV’s customers—like the Snitkos, Ruiz, and Gothier—of violating any law,” the lawsuit alleges.

“And while a warrant authorized the government to seize USPV’s property, the warrant did not authorize the government to conduct a criminal search or seizure of USPV’s customers’ property.

“But the government did just that and, two months later, the government is still holding many of those customers’ property even though the warrant explicitly contemplated that customers’ property would be returned.

“The government’s behavior is shocking, unconscionable, and
unconstitutional.”

Over four months after the raid, prosecutors agreed to return Ruiz’s money to him, according to court papers seen by the Los Angeles Daily News.

The return of the cash occurred after US District Judge R. Gary Klausner ordered the government in July to “show cause to the court in writing as to why the government continues to seize the contents” of Ruiz’s box.

The government responded on August 3 that after reviewing the information, a judicial forfeiture action would not be filed against the funds and the cash would be returned to Ruiz.

Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the US attorney’s office in LA hit back at claims that the FBI violated forfeiture laws.

“We have some basis to believe that the items are related to criminal activity,” he told the LA news outlet.

He added that the FBI had returned the contents of approximately 75 boxes and was planning to return the contents of at least 175 more due to no evidence of criminality.

Assistant US Attorney Andrew Brown, who prosecuted U.S. Private Vaults said in an email to one affected customer: “Please rest assured that the contents of your box are safe and secure and that we want to return all legitimately held items to their rightful owners.”

On Thursday a panel of judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard both sides of the argument about the raid after a lower court sided with the FBI last year.

A decision is expected in the coming months over whether the raid violated the customers’ Fourth Amendment Rights.

Institute for Justice senior attorney Rob Johnson is confident that the panel will side with the affected customers.

“I think the public sees this and recognizes that this is just a total abuse of people’s constitutional rights,” he told Fox News Channel.

Meanwhile, Victor Rodgers who argued on behalf of the government said that the FBI did all it could to return the property.

“All they had to do was contact the FBI,” he said.

US Private Vaults pleaded guilty to money laundering and as of October 2022, no other criminal charges were filed by the US Attorney’s Office.

#‘They just kind of stole my money,’ safety deposit box owner fumes after $57k vanished from his vault thanks to the FBI https://ift.tt/615rhdY

12/12/2023

‘This is wrong,’ Bank of America customer says after $13k disappears from account – and she’s forced to pay $4k more https://ift.tt/x4Cvh8g

Virginia Wimer, 95, turned to local NBC affiliate

A TAMPA, Florida resident is suffering after money was stolen from her bank account.

Virginia Wimer, 95, turned to local NBC affiliate WFLA after $13,000 was drained from her Bank of America checking account.

Virgina Wimer, 95, says that the Bank of America has denied her claim to get $4,000 reimbursed to her credit card because of an overdraft protection charge[/caption]

Virginia Wimer continues to work with Bank of America to get her money back[/caption]

The woman told the outlet that a so-called crook stole her money.

Bank of America reportedly reimbursed her the $13,000 but due to an overdraft protection on her account, $4,237.83 was charged to her Bank of America credit card.

Wimer filed a claim for the charges, but the claim was reportedly denied.

According to a letter sent from the bank, her claim was not approved because the $4,237.83 was an overdraft protection charge.

Bank of America had reportedly said that the decision to deny the claim was final.

Wimer told the outlet that she can’t sleep well because the charges are on her mind all the time.

Luckily, she has her caregiver, Jerry Starr to help her through this unfortunate event.

When Starr and Wimer reached out to Bank of America, they were left with confusing answers.

“She wants a 95-year-old lady that has very limited income to take care of this,” Starr told investigative reporter, Shannon Behnken.

“That’s wrong. And that’s why I called you. This is wrong.”

“They don’t hear us,” Starr said of the bank.

Behnken took the matter into her own hands and reached out to Bank of America on behalf of Wimer.

She was told that the bank was escalating the situation and looking for a positive outcome for Wimer.

However, after Behnken reached out to the bank, they followed up with Starr and told him that Wimer would have to continue to pay for the overdraft charge.

Bank of America said that Wimer would still have to pay the money back because it was a loan to her checking account, according to Behnken.

Due to privacy concerns, Behnken said the Bank of America spokesperson cannot share further details at this time.

“It’s been so stressful, I know, during the midst of this,” Starr said.

“She called me and said she can’t breathe,” he continued. “So we ended up taking her to the emergency room.”

“Basically checked out physically, but I think from all the stress she’s probably having a panic attack,” Starr said of how the situation is affecting Wimer.

Starr and Wimer are continuing to work with the bank to figure out the charges.

The U.S. Sun has reached out to Bank of America but has yet to hear back at the time of publishing.

#‘This is wrong,’ Bank of America customer says after $13k disappears from account – and she’s forced to pay $4k more https://ift.tt/x4Cvh8g

12/12/2023

‘Undetectable’ devices used on ATMs and self-checkout to steal all credit card details with shoppers warned of dangers https://ift.tt/ZaWzB8U

Skimmers are small devices that can be hidden at the gas station or at ATMs to steal credit

POLICE are warning of undetectable scams at gas pumps and ATMs.

Skimmers are small devices that can be hidden at the gas station or at ATMs to steal credit card information from customers.

Skimmers can be undetectable and steal your credit card information

Usually, these devices are planted over the already existing card readers and can look like they are bulging out from the machine.

However, police are warning that criminals are finding ways to make the devices undetectable to customers.

“Criminals have now figured out ways to install credit card skimmers inside gas station pumps and ATMS, making them nearly undetectable to the public,” the Aurora Police department said to NBC affiliate KUSA.

They also warned that sometimes these devices are partnered with a pinhole camera to record PIN numbers.

To check for a skimmer, wiggle the card slot to see if something moves.

Also check to see if there are clear signs of tampering.

If you can’t tell if a skimmer is present, police offered advice on how to protect yourself from skimmers.

Try using a credit card instead of a debit card when making purchases as it is easier to contest charges.

Also, cover the keypad when entering your PIN.

Keep most of your money in a savings account and carry a low balance on your debit card so scammers can’t take all of your money.

The most secure way to pay is either with a system like Google or Apple pay, or simply using cash.

Recently, 50 people were arrested for skimming credit cards.

Romanian law enforcement worked with the FBI in a three-year investigation to locate the criminals throughout Romania, according to local CW affiliate KTLA-TV.

Over 8,000 Americans had their credit card information stolen by the group.

#‘Undetectable’ devices used on ATMs and self-checkout to steal all credit card details with shoppers warned of dangers https://ift.tt/ZaWzB8U

12/12/2023

‘We need our money back,’ slams Walmart shopper after losing $800 – even after showing receipt she didn’t get the cash https://ift.tt/vSuyZiJ

Susan Kunz bought $1,000 in gift cards at a Houston, Texas, Walmart as

A WOMAN claims to have lost hundreds of dollars after purchasing Walmart gift cards.

Susan Kunz bought $1,000 in gift cards at a Houston, Texas, Walmart as Christmas gifts for the needy.

Susan Kunz lost hundreds of dollars in a gift card scam[/caption]

She bought $1,000 in gift cards but someone was able to drain the money[/caption]

When she checked to see the balance on the cards, she found that some of them were already completely drained.

In total, three were wiped out worth $800.

“The cards had been only in my possession so the question was ‘How does this happen?” Kunz said to NBC affiliate KPRC.

“And if this is happening to us, who else has this happened to?”

Kunz said that she returned to the store where she purchased the to figure out why they were empty.

Yet even after showing her receipt to the floor manager, she claimed that she was not able to get the money back.

She even said the staff were able to see surveillance footage of her transaction to prove that she was the person to make the purchase.

Kunz said she was planning to give away the cards to families in need at her church.

“If we had not gotten this figured out we would’ve been handing out cards to our families,” Kunz said.

“They would’ve been filling up their baskets with toys and food. They would’ve gotten to the cash register and cards that had been given to them by a church would be empty and that is a terrible thing.”

“We’re going to come up with something different for our families. We’ll be giving money to our families this Sunday. Obviously, we will not be giving them Walmart cards.”

She filed a police report after Walmart failed to refund the money to her.

“They don’t know whether this is possibly an inside job or whether it is just a situation where it has to do with people figuring out how to take Walmart cards and even though they do not have them in their possession they are able to use them,” Kunz said.

“We don’t know. We have no answers.”

“We can’t be the only people that are having this problem,” she continued.

“There are going to be an awful lot of people at Christmas that are going to get their cards, they’re going to go and purchase things, and when they get to the cash register those cards will have no money on them.

“That is a terrible thing. That is a terrible thing to happen.”

Kunz has called for Walmart to remove the gift cards until it has found out what happened to her money to avoid others also losing out.

“They need to figure out what’s going on,” she told NBC affiliate KPRC.

“In the meantime, I myself would like to see them take every single one of those Walmart cards away from the cash registers so that no one else can use them.”

Walmart has announced it will return millions of dollars to customers impacted by the scam.

Target locations in California have seen a similar scam take place.

A scammer was discovered by undercover cops after tampering with gift cards and putting them on shelves.

Thousands were tracked to over 50 stores in the state.

The scam works by replacing the bar code on the gift card, so when it is scanned and funds are loaded onto it, the money gets sent to the scammer.

Target shoppers were warned about ‘Bad Elf’ gift cards after they were found in more than 50 stores.

Walmart has also recently had to pay $4 million to customers affected by gift card scams.

Walmart has deployed some innovative in-house technologies to prevent these scams.

Since 2018, its efforts have returned almost $4 million to consumers.

Walmart has set up a dedicated hotline for those who believe they may have been hit by a gift card scammer – (888) 537-5503.

If you’ve been a victim of a scam, you can also report it to the Federal Trade Commission.

Walmart did not respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment at the time of publication.

#‘We need our money back,’ slams Walmart shopper after losing $800 – even after showing receipt she didn’t get the cash https://ift.tt/vSuyZiJ

12/12/2023

‘We’re just for adults,’ lottery officials warn over risky holiday gifting tradition – you could be breaking the law https://ift.tt/vQD7uVm

The Colorado Lottery stressed the message in a statement on Wednesday to raise awareness about increased

LOTTERY officials have warned parents to refrain from gifting tickets to their children, as it would technically break the law.

The Colorado Lottery stressed the message in a statement on Wednesday to raise awareness about increased gambling rates in the state.

Lottery officials in Colorado have warned residents about giving tickets away as Christmas gifts to kids[/caption]

Anyone caught gambling under the age of 21 could face legal consequences[/caption]

Tom Seaver, Director of the Colorado Lottery, acknowledged that lottery tickets offer an easy and fun Christmas stocking stuffer idea for families, per Colorado Springs CBS affiliate KKTV.

Even so, Seaver noted it’s against the law for those under 21 to gamble.

“The message is pretty straightforward. We believe lottery tickets make great gifts, but only for adults,” he told the outlet.

“Hopefully, it’s more preventative actually than trying to be a solution because I think what we’re seeing is obviously a great increase in the amount of gambling that’s available in Colorado.”

“It’s been increasing every year and the visibility of it has been increasing every year,” Seaver continued.

Colorado Lottery officials said that new data concluded the earlier children or teens are exposed to gambling in life, the more likely they are to develop a gambling problem down the road.

Around 60 to 80 percent of high schoolers in the Centennial State reported they gambled for money during a 2022 survey from the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado.

Seaver noted that the numbers coincide with kids’ curiosity and desire to do what adults do.

They watch parents or other adults they see scratch-off tickets, which can be fun for many, and latch on to that process as a typical occurrence.

“It’s like any other behavior. Young people emulate what they see from the adults, and they want to do what the adults do,” Seaver explained to KKTV.

“Scratching off scratch tickets is fun — picking numbers is fun.”

“Inherently, there’s nothing wrong, but it’s just the idea that it gets them into the mindset that this is a normal thing, and they should be very cautious about exposing their children to gambling,” the director warned.

Throughout December, the Colorado Lottery said it plans to continually raise awareness about the risks of youth gambling through posts on social media and public service announcements.

It also told the outlet that it would work with retailers to create in-store signage about the potential dangers.

The Colorado Department of Revenue also issued a stark warning on its website about the dangers and punishments those under 21 could face if caught gambling underage.

Under the heading “It’s Not Worth the Gamble,” the department explained that teens could face an arrest or severe fines along with the risk of gambling problems later in life.

If convicted, an underage Colorado resident could have the incident go on their permanent record as well.

“Anyone under 21 years of age may not watch others gamble, participate, play, place wagers, or collect winnings, whether personally or through an agent, in or from any limited gaming game or slot machine,” the site read.

“The Division of Gaming is working to prevent underage gaming and lingering through education and communication.”

Flyers were also included for casinos and other establishments to be made aware of their responsibility in preventing those under 21 from gambling at their locations.

Responsible gambling

Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:

Establishes time and monetary limits before playing

Only gambles with money they can afford to lose

Never chase their losses

Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed

National Council on Problem Gambling – https://www.ncpgambling.org/

Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 1-800-522-4700 or go to ncpgambling.org/chat

#‘We’re just for adults,’ lottery officials warn over risky holiday gifting tradition – you could be breaking the law https://ift.tt/vQD7uVm

12/12/2023

2024 hopeful Dean Phillips ‘appalled & dismayed’ by retail crime and says Biden & Trump’s age will keep them from fixing https://ift.tt/1VPrUHE

The

WHITE House hopeful Dean Phillips has become “appalled and dismayed” by the ongoing retail crime epidemic and does not believe President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump can fix it if re-elected.

The Minnesota Congressman is vying for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2024 and is currently campaigning across New Hampshire ahead of the Granite State’s primary election in January.

White House hopeful Dean Phillips has said America needs a young president to help curb retail crime nationwide[/caption]

In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun, Phillips said he was appalled by rampant crime across the country (stock image)[/caption]

‘’

Phillips insisted President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will not be able to solve the issue due to their age[/caption]

In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun, Phillips revealed he doesn’t believe a president in his late 70s and early 80s has what it takes to solve the country’s rampant crime problem.

“I’m appalled and dismayed by what I’m seeing, and we still have a chance to change it,” Phillips, 54, said.

“You know, that’s the hopeful part. We still have a chance to change it. But I do not think that these two men who will be in their mid-80s have any chance of doing so.”

Trump is currently 77 years old, while Biden turned 81 in November.

As the 45th and 46th presidents remain the front-runners in the 2024 race – and remain the oldest of all the candidates among both parties – Phillips insisted America is “demanding” youth in the White House again.

“I think this might be the only job in America in which a 55-year-old is considered to be youthful,” the three-term representative said.

Phillips went on to explain that not only does he bring broad experience to the ticket, he brings a “worldview that is very different than to men who will be in their 80s.”

“Growing up as a Gen Xer is a very different approach to the world, to our institutions, to the American brand, and to frankly, the issues that are facing the country right now,” he said.

Specifically, he pointed to artificial intelligence, the impact of social media on US national security, as well as global peace.

“It is time for a generation of peace and prosperity that understands both the possibilities and the great purses of technologies that are coming down the pipeline that frankly no 80-year-old in the White House can understand, let alone prepare for,” he said.

TACKLING RAMPANT CRIME

Within this younger worldview, Phillips also hopes to end the repetitive cycle of measures that don’t appear to be curbing the retail crime epidemic across the country.

In September, the National Retail Federation revealed that retail crime remains the largest source of retail losses in 2022 – with external theft making up 36.15% of total retail shrink, according to CNBC.

While this is slightly down from the 37% recorded in 2021, Phillips agrees with most Americans who believe there hasn’t been much improvement.

If elected president, the Minnesota Democrat vowed he would “absolutely” pursue additional federal measures to curb retail crime that is harming “the communities in the most need.”

In order to do this, he believes further action needs to be taken to provide Americans with a “higher foundation.”

“We’ve got to raise the foundation, give people a chance, have much higher expectations of Americans [and] hold them accountable,” Phillips said.

“But when they do fail, at least, at least make a modest investment in giving them a chance to change their lives right now.

“It’s pretty clear that not everybody can do so without a little bit of assistance. So, why don’t we try to do better?”

Phillips went on to blast the president for not making any major changes during his time in office, or career in Washington.

“I’m talking about a president who has been in Washington for 50 years. I mean, come on,” Phillips said.

“That’s how I look at it. Come on. You think doing the same thing over and over is going to lead to a different result? No, the answer is no.”

NO REGRETS

As Phillips and his campaign quickly approach the New Hampshire January 23 primary election, the congressman remains ever optimistic about his chances for the Democratic nomination.

“I am very confident and very optimistic, but at the end of the day, the optimism is about fellow Americans. It’s not about me, it’s about the faith. Faith in the process, faith in the voters, and right now faith in Granite Staters who have long taken very seriously for 103 years,” he said.

Phillips announced in November that he would not be running for re-election in 2024 if he doesn’t receive the nomination.

While that might mean his career in Congress is over for now, he has no regrets about the path that has led him to today.

“If you’re unwilling to give up your career, for the best interest of the country, I think you have no place serving in public office in the United States and that is the cultural change that I think we have to make,” he said.

#2024 hopeful Dean Phillips ‘appalled & dismayed’ by retail crime and says Biden & Trump’s age will keep them from fixing https://ift.tt/1VPrUHE

12/12/2023

An eagle dropped an adorable ‘puppy’ in my garden so I adopted it – then it grew into something VERY different https://ift.tt/ClaZ6U2

A hungry eagle had been flying over the woman’s house clutching the terrified pup in its talons when it decided this prey would be more effort

A WOMAN who thought she had adopted an adorable puppy after it was dropped by a bird was shocked when it grew into a very different beast.

A hungry eagle had been flying over the woman’s house clutching the terrified pup in its talons when it decided this prey would be more effort than it was worth.

A woman adopted a puppy after she found it in her garden[/caption]

But the puppy soon started to look more like a fox than a dog

It dumped the shocked creature in the women’s garden before continuing its hunt for food.

Upon discovering the animal in Bright, Australia, the woman couldn’t bare to give him up and decided to keep him as a pet.

But, she soon sensed something was amiss as the creature – named Wandi – began to look more fox-like.

After frantically searching for answers on google to no avail Wandi was taken to the nearby Alpine Animal Hospital.

However, the staff here were also stumped and sent off a DNA sample to try and solve the mystery.

While awaiting the results Wandi was sent off to the Australian Dingo Foundation’s sanctuary as his owner feared he may actually be a dangerous species of animal.

When the results came back several weeks later, it was revealed that Wandi was a 100% pure Victoria Highlands dingo.

The sanctuary has since announced that Wandi would be joining their breeding program to help increase their captive dingo population’s diversity.

The foundation thinks the creature was snatched from his home by the eagle who then deposited him in the woman’s yard.

It said: “We believe Wandi was stolen by an eagle and dropped as he had sustained wounds on his back, and his nails were worn down suggesting he had travelled far on foot before being found.”

When he was first discovered, a number of internet sleuths incorrectly identified Wandi as a fox.

One person had remarked: “I reckon it’s a fox and you’ve got a little problem.”

Dingoes are Australia’s only native wild dog. They are protected in national parks but are considered pests in parts of Queensland.

In rare cases, dingoes can attack people and cause injury.

When dingoes do strike humans, young children tend to be the most at risk.

The creatures are much more of a threat to livestock such as sheep and young cattle.

This is not the only time a pet owner was shocked when their pet wasn’t what they thought it was.

In September we told of a woman who took in a stray kitten was left stunned when it grew into a terrifying creature.

The adorable black kitten named Luna was taken into a loving home where she was fed and quickly grew into something much larger.

The puppy was actually a pure Victoria Highlands dingo[/caption]

A rescue foundation believe the dingo named Wandi was dropped in the womans garden by an eagle[/caption]

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Dingoes rarely attack humans[/caption]

eagle dropped an adorable ‘puppy’ in my garden so I adopted it – then it grew into something VERY different https://ift.tt/ClaZ6U2

12/12/2023

Andrew Tate loses bid to get back his 15 luxury cars including Lambo, Ferrari & 5 Mercedes seized by Romanian cops https://ift.tt/s4BTNZ1

Their assets include 15 luxury cars, 14 watches, and 10 buildings and lands, all of which are located in the Bucharest and Bucharest area.

A JUDGE has denied the Tate brothers’ appeals to have £10million worth of assets returned to them.

Their assets include 15 luxury cars, 14 watches, and 10 buildings and lands, all of which are located in the Bucharest and Bucharest area.

Andrew Tate, right, and his brother Tristan walk into the Court of Appeal building in Bucharest, Romania[/caption]

A Ferrari is seized in the case against Andrew Tate[/caption]

Police remove a Lamborghini from the Tate compound in Romania[/caption]

A source provided The Sun Online with a breakdown of the assets seized from the disgraced influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan after they were both charged as part of an ongoing s*x trafficking investigation.

The assets include 14 luxury watches: two Hublot, three Patek Philippe, one Cartier, three Audemars Piguet, one Akribos, two Rolex, one Ulysse Nardin, and one Breitling.

Cars including three Porsche, two BMW, two Ferrari, one Aston Martin, one McLaren, one Lamborghini, and five Mercedes were also seized by Romania‘s organised crime-busting police unit DIICOT on January 5 this year.

DIICOT have been probing the brothers since arresting them last December, at which time the police unit also seized several lands and two luxury homes owned by the Tate brothers in Voluntari.

One of the houses has eight bedrooms and spans 424 square metres, while the other has four bedrooms and spans 153 square metres.

The Sun understands the Bucharest Court has now rejected the requests made by both the Tate brothers and Tristan’s model girlfriend Abigail Tyson to have their assets released to them.

They can appeal the decision in 48 hours.

If the Tate brothers are sentenced for the crimes they are accused of and do not have the money to pay their alleged victims, all of their assets will be sold at auction, a judicial source has told The Sun.

Andrew and Tristan are facing allegations of tracking and r**e – all of which they strongly deny.

Sources told The Sun Online earlier this year that the assets seized from the Tates were estimated to be worth about £10million.

One source said: “The biggest assets of Tate brothers are their cars – which are estimated to be around £8million.

“Their houses and lands are also estimated at more than £2million.”

They added: “As for their accounts, further investigations are to be made, as there is also another file on their names for money laundering, a file which is far from being ended.”

Tates’ assets listed by Romanian cops at the time included 15 luxury cars, 15 properties, 14 watches, two “ingots”, and shares in four companies.

Their other assets included company investments worth £84,000 and 21 Bitcoin worth about £440,000.

OnlyFans star Abigail Tyson, Tristan’s girlfriend, reportedly had her home raided by Romanian police in January as part of the ongoing probe into the Tate brothers’ alleged trafficking scheme.

Police sources said Abigail had her luxurious Bucharest villa searched by agents from Romania’s DIICOT unit. She was not accused of any wrongdoing by police.

A source told The Sun Online today that the model asked for a luxury home to be released to her by police.

The Tate brothers were arrested in December last year as part of a probe into human trafficking, r**e, and organised crime.

They are accused of recruiting women on social media platforms and getting them to travel to their villa on the outskirts of Bucharest.

Both men are alleged to have pretended to fall in love with the women before getting them to work for their business and making them perform s*xual acts on webcams.

Romanian authorities have reported that they have identified six alleged victims in the case who were subjected to “acts of physical violence and mental coercion” as well as “s*xual exploitation”.

Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, saying that he is a victim of something called The Matrix.

The Tate brothers and their alleged accomplices Georgiana Naghel and Luana Radu were released on house arrest earlier this year.

Abigail Tyson, Tristans girlfriend, reportedly had her home raided by cops in January[/caption]

’

Social media influencer Andrew Tate is followed by his brother Tristan outside the Bucharest Court in Romania[/caption]

A Ferrari is seized from the Tates and towed away by cops[/caption]

Tate loses bid to get back his 15 luxury cars including Lambo, Ferrari & 5 Mercedes seized by Romanian cops https://ift.tt/s4BTNZ1