Model Bri Stern, the ex-girlfriend of misogynist internet personality, Andrew Tate, says she has launched a lawsuit against him and ended their relationship, claiming Tate became violent during a consensual sexual encounter and strangled her until she almost passed out.
Through his lawyer, Joseph McBride, Tate has vehemently denied the allegations (along with all others levelled at him by other women), saying, "We stand ready to defend Andrew fiercely in court, where the truth will expose this baseless scheme. Instead of seeking a private resolution, Ms Stern has chosen to air her false claims in the press, revealing her true motives: money and attention, not justice."
Stern has since spoken out in a statement posted to social media, in which she alleges an incident took place at the Beverly Hills Hotel on 11 March 2025 – when Tate and his brother, Tristan, were temporarily given the green light to leave Romania. They are now back in Romania, currently under house arrest while facing charges of running a sex trafficking operation.
Over in the UK, four British women who are currently pursuing a case against Tate – in which he stands accused of sexual misconduct and duping women into making pornographic content online for his financial gain – said they were "extremely concerned" to hear he had been allowed to leave Romania. They expressed fears that the Trump administration could be interfering with the case, given that Tate in the past has openly championed President Trump.
The Tates also have a further case pending in Florida, after the brothers tried to sue a woman known only as Jane Doe* for speaking out about her alleged abuse at their hands and she countersued.
Here's what we know about Andrew Tate's former girlfriend, Bri Stern, and the details of her alleged lawsuit against her ex-partner.
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Who is Bri Stern, Andrew Tate's ex-girlfriend?
Brianna Stern is a model from Los Angeles who has posed for the likes of FHM magazine and walked at events connected to New York Fashion Week. On her social media profiles, Stern regularly posts collaborations with fashion brands such as Fashion Nova. It's reported that she met Tate in the summer of 2024 when he needed models for his cryptocurrency and she became convinced by his explanations of the multiple charges against him (and his brother, Tristan).
On 27 March 2025, Stern posted something very different to her usual content on Instagram: a statement claiming that she has filed a lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend, kickboxer and influencer Andrew Tate, a known - and self-proclaimed - misogynist who has openly encouraged violence against women in his videos.
"We spent as much time together as we could, but when we weren't physically together, we were in communication all day, every day," Stern wrote online. "He was my best friend. I stood by his side unwaveringly. We made plans to live together, first in Romania, then in Miami once he travelled to America. He wanted to start a new life [...] have children and always told me we would be together forever."
Candidly, she shared that she still loves Tate, wondering if her feelings could be chalked up to Stockholm syndrome (in which a hostage or victim develops feelings for their abuser).
Tate's ethos appears to revolve around the false belief that women must be subservient to men, that women are the 'property' of the men they enter into a relationship with, and once encouraged his followers to "beat the shit out of any women" who dare to challenge them. Tate also pushes the harmful message that masculinity centres on being muscular, aggressive, dominating and rich, and that anything outside of this narrow definition is weak.
Stern went on to say that on 11 March 2025, she met Tate at the Beverly Hills Hotel and that the final words he said to her were, "Shut the f*ck up, b*tch. You will never backtalk me. You are my property." The model claims that these 'degrading' words are what 'clicked' in her brain, making her realise that "someone who truly loved me wouldn't say those things to me or hurt me repeatedly the way that he did [...] This wasn't a joke or an internet façade. This was the reality of my boyfriend and my life."
Talking about the emotions she's felt since filing her lawsuit against Tate, Stern said the process has been "very difficult and extremely scary [...] I am an emotional wreck and am constantly looking over my shoulder".
Stern also alleges that Tate has previously threatened to "ruin my life, rape me, or kill me". Despite her fears, Stern added she wants to go public with her abuse allegations in order to help other women.
"I know there are many women out there who are in the same position as me – terrified and scared, who are being hurt by the person who is supposed to love them the most," she wrote. "To those women I say, you are much stronger than you know [...] Walk away and take control of your life, while you still can."
What are the details of Bri Stern's lawsuit against Andrew Tate?
Tate stands accused of sexual assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. According to a social media post shared by Stern, she specifically claims he strangled her during sex to the point that she almost passed out – something Tate has denied via his own legal team.
The lawsuit alleges: "Tate began verbally degrading Plaintiff as he routinely did — but this time it was much worse, more aggressive, and more violent. Tate then began to choke Plaintiff (Stern)".
It continues on to say,"Eventually, Plaintiff began crying and begging for him to stop. He would not. Tate continued to choke Plaintiff, harder and harder, making Plaintiff nearly lose consciousness. While doing so, Tate told her repeatedly that if she ever crossed him, he was going to kill her."
It is also reported that Stern waited until Tate had left the United States before filing her claim against him, fearing for her safety, and that days after the incident she was diagnosed with having concussion after Tate repeatedly struck her.
Two law enforcement sources confirmed to NBC News that an investigation into Tate is underway following Stern's allegations.
What else has Bri Stern said about Andrew Tate?
While many of the comments underneath Stern's post about her alleged lawsuit against Tate are supportive and commending her bravery for speaking out against such a high-profile figure, some have questioned why Stern got into a relationship with Tate to begin with knowing his history of allegations.
Responding to one of these comments, Stern said she never believed she was an "exception to the rule" when it comes to how Tate supposedly treats women. She explained that like many others who "look up to him" she believed his explanations for the multiple legal charges currently laid at his door.
Stern said in response to one comment, "I, like millions of others who look up to him, believed him. He has very convincing explanations for all of his charges, claiming that none of them are legitimate hence why none stick, and claims that the Romanian government was after his wealth."
She added that there is "definitely a whole movement right now of being 'woke' and going against the grain/societal norms", referencing the political divide currently playing out in America and beyond, which it's been suggested has partially left boys and men – who feel rejected by women, despondent about their futures and frustrated with some elements of society – vulnerable to content like Tate's highlighted in the Netflix series, Adolescence). "He’s one of the main leaders of that movement because he’s intelligent and charming, it’s easy to believe him."
Stern also shared that she had found it difficult to distinguish between Tate's 'real' self and his 'online persona', which has been endorsed by popular rightwing commentators and those at the top of US politics.
"It’s definitely unique and difficult to judge character when you add in fame/if someone has an 'online persona' – it is not clear whether it's just a facade or their true character," she continued, in her explanation.
"Obviously I shouldn’t have been fooled. But keep in mind, this person is supported by the Vice President and President of our country, Elon Musk, Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, etc. so that does add a lot of credibility."
It's worth remembering that abusers often use manipulative tactics to coerce female victims into relationships and that it's not as straight forward as 'well, you should have known better!'.
Cosmopolitan UK has reached out to Brianna Stern's management for comment.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
