Devon and Cornwall Police seizes £180,000 Aston Martin deposit from Andrew Tate

Devon and Cornwall Police has secured a further £180,000 from influencer Andrew Tate in civil court over a deposit he had placed on an Aston Martin supercar.

The Force successfully obtained Account Freezing and Forfeiture Orders at Westminster Magistrates’ Court following a hearing on Thursday, 14 August.

The six-figure sum can be added to nearly £2.7million of criminal funds seized in December 2024 from Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan.

Communities, victims of crime and vulnerable people will benefit from the money thanks to detectives utilising legislation under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). 

Half of the funds can be distributed to good causes by the Force while HM Treasury will receive the other 50 per cent to be spent on public services.

The applications by Devon and Cornwall Police for Account Freezing and Forfeiture Orders in respect of the £180,000 deposit were granted by Chief Magistrate, Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring.

The Tate brothers did not oppose the orders sought.

The court heard Andrew Tate had paid the deposit for a special-edition Aston Martin Valhalla vehicle in July 2021. 

Sarah Clarke KC, on behalf of Devon and Cornwall Police, told the judge that the funds used to pay the deposit were the proceeds of tax and VAT evasion and money laundering.

This week’s application was submitted on the same basis as others previously made by the Force in December 2024.

At that time, Judge Goldspring said in his judgment that he was satisfied of the "overall criminality of deliberate and dishonest cheat of the revenue". 

He added that the Tates had "engaged in long-standing conduct to evade their tax". 

In December 2024, Judge Goldspring made Forfeiture Orders in respect of funds held in six frozen bank accounts and one frozen cryptocurrency account.

Devon & Cornwall Police carried out a painstaking investigation tracing the Tate brothers’ funds through a web of different bank and cryptocurrency accounts. 

This showed that, between 2014 and 2022, around £21million had been credited and washed between multiple accounts. This was done with the deliberate aim of disguising the origin of the funds, thereby avoiding paying tax or VAT in any jurisdiction. 

Instead, the funds were used to pay for the brothers’ extravagant lifestyles - including private jets, hotels, property and fast cars.

Sarah Clarke KC told the court on Thursday, 14 August, that the funds deposited with Aston Martin originally came from a Coinbase cryptocurrency account. This held multiple cryptocurrencies purchased with funds derived from the Tate brothers’ business activities.

No tax or VAT had ever been paid on these funds, which had been laundered through the bank accounts that were the subject of the previous applications, the court heard.

Detective Superintendent Jon Bancroft said: “This latest judgement follows on from our applications made against the Tate brothers which resulted in a successful ruling in December 2024 and the forfeiture of nearly £2.7 million of criminal funds.

“From the outset we aimed to demonstrate that Andrew and Tristan Tate evaded their tax obligations and laundered money.  We succeeded in doing exactly that and we have succeeded again this week.

“This further successful outcome shows how we will relentlessly pursue all criminal funds without fear or favour.

“The public can have confidence that Devon and Cornwall Police has the expertise, skill and tenacity to combat financial crime and bring offenders to justice, no matter how complex the case. 

“Our investigations do not have geographic boundaries and we will use legislation available to us - like the civil action under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) that we used in this case  – to recover suspected criminal property.  

“POCA allows police to hand over funds from unlawful activity and make excellent use of them in their communities.

“People in Devon and Cornwall will benefit from the money seized and it will be reinvested to help prevent crime, aid victims and vulnerable people, and to boost good causes.

“This is a great opportunity for us to support local good causes and help make a difference.”