Everyone knows the beloved children’s character who lives in a pineapple under the sea, but why does a viral clip seem to show him present during Andrew and Tristan Tate’s arrest?
The answer is simple: it was not actually the famous yellow sponge.
The costumed figure seen in the circulating “leaked footage” appears to be Freakbob, a SpongeBob-inspired mascot from Duel. Standing beside him is a man believed to be the company’s Finnish founder, Ossi “Monarch” Ketola, as authorities were seen taking Andrew and Tristan Tate into custody.
Once the strange footage surfaced online, the internet quickly responded with a wave of reactions.
“The SpongeBob just standing there killing me,” one person wrote.
“This story somehow keeps finding new ways to dominate timelines,” another person noted.
“I feel bad for SpongeBob witnessing all of that,” a third joked, while another user declared, “Freakbob showing up to the Tate arrest is the most 2026 thing ever.”
However, not everyone believed the clip was authentic. Comments questioning whether the footage was real began flooding in, with one viewer asking, “Looks AI or it’s me?”
The origin of the video has not been independently confirmed, meaning it remains unclear whether the footage is authentic. However, even if Freakbob and Ketola were digitally inserted into the clip, their presence alongside the Tates would not be completely out of nowhere.
Andrew’s connection to Duel goes back to at least November 2025, when the company’s logo appeared in training videos ahead of his Misfits Boxing match. Later, in April 2026, Duel promoted a live game featuring Andrew expected to appear behind the table. Instead, Brian Michael Hinds — the online personality known as Bottom G due to his resemblance to Andrew — appeared and spent the broadcast singing, twerking, and performing a full split across the table.
According to IBA Bare Knuckle’s official promotion, Andrew was expected to co-host Saturday’s event at Miami’s James L. Knight Center, the same location where U.S. Marshals arrested him and Tristan. Ketola also claimed that Andrew was scheduled to deal blackjack for Duel that day, although no official timetable or additional details have emerged confirming when or where the appearance was meant to take place.
The Duel founder later addressed the situation in a statement, saying, “We came to conclude a gentleman’s deal for the upcoming Tate Duel Blackjack appearance, but I had no idea what the brothers had been up to recently. I do not condone any types of illegal crimes.”
This was not Ketola’s first time being linked to a high-profile bail situation. After streamer Dalton “ChudTheBuilder” Eatherly’s bond was reduced from $1.25 million to $1 million on May 21, an alleged Discord message from Ketola suggested that Duel was prepared to provide the funds.
“Can confirm that this is indeed us,” he reportedly wrote. “Legal team is working out the details. Don’t want to say too much until we’re over the finish line.”
Despite Ketola’s attempts, Eatherly remains in custody. Tennessee’s regulations regarding large bond payments and the verification of funding sources created complications, and a judge later revoked Eatherly’s bond in a separate Davidson County case.
Getting Andrew and Tristan Tate released could prove even more challenging. The brothers are currently being held on a federal extradition warrant, and bail in such cases typically requires “special circumstances.” While Ketola may be willing to cover the costs, a judge must first determine whether bail is even available as an option.
