Evidence that dozens of women were groomed into online sex work by members of influencer Andrew Tate’s “War Room” group has been uncovered by the BBC.

Leaked internal chat logs identify 45 potential victims between March 2019 and April 2020 but the total number is likely to be higher.

The texts also appear to show the techniques used by War Room members to exploit possible victims.

Mr Tate denies any wrongdoing and says he is prepared to defend his innocence.

Warning: Some readers may find details of this report disturbing

A statement issued by his press officer said the BBC’s findings represent “another brazen attempt to present one-sided, unverified” allegations against him.

The 36-year-old former kickboxer has been charged in Romania with rape and human trafficking.

On 4 August he was released from house arrest pending his trial. Last week details of graphic evidence compiled by Romanian prosecutors were revealed by the BBC.

His brother Tristan and two associates also face charges. All have denied the allegations.

The BBC’s latest investigation – outlined in the documentary Andrew Tate: The Man Who Groomed the World? – centres on 12,000 pages of encrypted Telegram messages sent by hundreds of War Room members.

However the BBC’s access to the logs was limited to those sent over a period of 13 months – so the total number of women possibly targeted and exploited by the group, which was formed in 2019, could be much higher.

Mr Tate says the War Room – which costs $8,000 (£6,300) a year to join – is a network of powerful men and those who want to learn from them.

“The War Room promotes self-discipline, motivation and confidence building whilst giving members access to thousands of professionals from around the world who encourage personal responsibility and accountability, emphasising the importance of taking ownership of your choices and actions,” the statement issued by Mr Tate reads.

However, the leaked online chats indicate the War Room teaches members through its so-called “PhD” course – the initials stand for “Pimpin’ Hoes Degree” – how to groom women into sex work.

Members are instructed by some of the War Room leadership – known as “generals” – to romantically seduce, emotionally manipulate and socially isolate women before luring them into performing on webcams – often taking all or most of the money they make.

While most media attention around the organisation has focused on the Tate brothers, the BBC’s investigation found that a self-proclaimed “wizard” who goes by the alias “Iggy Semmelweiss” appears to be the War Room’s true leader and intellectual driving force.

The messages – exclusively obtained by the BBC – suggest violence against women was taught and encouraged by some of Mr Tate’s “generals”.

Among them were photographs of a woman bent over with serious bruising and cuts to her backside and the tagline “Who me?”.

Another post sent by a leading member who uses the alias “Joe Lampton” described how he reacted to a complaint from a woman who worked for him. “I took her keyboard and hit her in the head with it,” the message read. “She went into the room and worked 7 hours without any break.”

ANDREW TATE: THE MAN WHO GROOMED THE WORLD?

Reporter Matt Shea investigates the influencer and his “War Room”.

Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK Only)

Our investigation has found that as of August 2022 there were 434 War Room members around the world. While not all members of the War Room will act on its teachings, we were able to identify many of the women possibly groomed by members of the group, plus a further 29 women who were targeted over the same period.

The BBC spoke to two women who said they were exploited by War Room members. Although they live thousands of miles apart, their stories indicate the men were following the same tactics.

Both women said they initially believed they were in a romantic relationship with these men – who then began gradually manipulating them into sex work, a strategy known as the “loverboy method”.

“He used sex a lot to manipulate me,” says “Maria” – not her real name – from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The women also say they were subjected to violence, isolated from friends and forced to perform menial tasks to demonstrate their subservience.

“Amanda” – also a pseudonym – who lives on the west coast of the US, says she gave away up to 80% of what she earned at any one time – a total of $95,000 – to two War Room members.

Amanda told the BBC she was slapped across the face by a “general” who exploited her and showed us photographs of bruising. She said: “He had control of everything.”

According to the leaked chats, War Room members appear to believe they are performing “Pavlovian conditioning” on women – “this is how you train dogs”, one leaked message reads. Instructions are typically provided by “generals”.

Their grooming method includes “tests of submission” such as getting women to tattoo the War Room members’ initials on their bodies.

Eli, a whistleblower who says he spent two years as the Tate organisation’s head of sales and marketing, told the BBC: “The War Room is all about you getting women that serve you in your life.” Eli says he was “brainwashed” by the Tate group, which he describes as a “cult”.

Eli also described the role of “Iggy Semmelweiss” within the War Room. Asked who was really in charge of the group, the whistleblower said: “Iggy is at the top.”

“Iggy’s” real name is Miles Sonkin. Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1961, he is a former member of at least two alleged cults, he developed an interest in the far right in the 2000s and appears to have met Andrew Tate around 2018. Soon after, Mr Tate started selling his own courses and the War Room was established in 2019.

Mr Sonkin sends all new members of the War Room a reading list and a manifesto outlining the group’s agenda.

When confronted by the BBC outside his home in Los Angeles, California, Mr Sonkin did not comment.

However, it is Andrew Tate – with his 7.6 million Twitter followers and legions of fans who wish to emulate his lifestyle – who remains the group’s focal point, despite his upcoming trial.

In the statement, his spokeswoman said the BBC’s findings “not only present false accusations, but insult the massive community that considers Andrew Tate a life changing positive force”. The statement adds that Mr Tate “is prepared to take all necessary legal actions to defend his innocence and hold accountable those responsible for defamatory claims”.

The BBC’s investigation suggests his fame is being used to sell a method of abuse to men around the world.

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You can reach Jamie Tahsin directly by email at [email protected]