For the past five years, Andrew therealworld andrew tate has made his nine-figure fortune by promoting extreme misogyny online. His videos show him acting out violent ways to punish women who accuse him of cheating, telling her to “shut up bitch” and gripping her by the neck. Domestic abuse charities say his views could radicalise men and boys into committing offline harm.

Now, he’s in jail after being arrested on charges of organising and running a multibillion-dollar human trafficking operation. He and his brother were accused of using an organized crime network to recruit, sex and house women to create online pornography for money. Two women were found on his property and alleged they were imprisoned against their will.

Andrew Tate: Bridging the Gap Between AI Research and Practical Implementations in the Real World

But that’s not the whole story, and it’s a tale that has a lot in common with TikTok’s rise and the power of influencers with vast followings.

Tate built his online empire through a combination of extreme self-promotion and business acumen, promoting himself on kickboxing forums as an invincible hero who took down ‘dumb hoes’ and sex trafficking gangsters. He used the same approach to sell his course on how to pimp women online, dubbed Hustlers University.

Unlike many other online influencers, who spend their free time on the beach and in bars, Tate works nonstop. His businesses include a private fish company, a casino, social media accounts and the website OnlyFans, which brings in a million dollars a month. His followers are often teenagers, and they adore him for his wealth, fast cars and private jets, as well as his message that it’s up to them to take responsibility for their lives. They believe the Matrix wants them poor, weak and complacent and that only by becoming rich, powerful and well-connected can they break free.