A woman has broken years of silence to warn the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community about an instructor she says abused her for over a decade. This has been a hot topic in BJJ as of late due to the power dynamics and hero worship that can enable predatory behavior.
Beany Galletta Trapani began sharing her story publicly over four years ago, naming San Diego-based black belt Ron Casper of Odyssey Training Center as her abuser. In a recent Instagram post, she wrote:
“For years he built a reputation as a protector. A black belt. A teacher. A leader. Behind closed doors, he was my abuser. And I am not the only one.”
Trapani met Casper in 2008 at a boxing gym where he worked as an instructor. Coming from a 25-year marriage that began when she was 16, she says she lacked experience recognizing warning signs. Their relationship lasted from 2011 to 2021.
According to Trapani, concerning behaviors emerged within the first month. She recalls attempting to end things early, only to receive what she describes as a dismissive response. The alleged abuse escalated from verbal harassment in public gym settings to what she characterizes as extended episodes of rage at home.
In video evidence she has shared online, a she can be heard yelling:
“Get out of my house. Get out of my house. Where the f**k were you at? Get the f**k out. I don’t want you here. I never told you to come over.”
Trapani says the first time she contacted police was after threats were made toward her children, but fearing retaliation, she sent the officers away.
“Things got really really bad”
after that, she stated.
In 2021, Trapani was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she connects to years of chronic stress. Despite obtaining a restraining order and temporarily relocating to Oregon, she alleges harassment continued. She reports moving four different times in attempts to escape, with Casper allegedly tracking her down each time.
That September, Trapani made her final break. After connecting with someone on social media who offered her a place to stay in Florida, she left California without notice, abandoning her belongings and having her car shipped later. She now resides in Florida.
In her recent video statement, Trapani said:
“I am just one of the many survivors of Ron Casper. What makes my story a little bit different is that I am the first to expose him and I’ve been doing so for four plus years now showing his name, face, business, as well as proof of the abuse in an effort to protect as many other women as I possibly can.”
She continued:
“He continues to have loyal followers who know of the abuse and don’t care. I have had many women reach out to me privately with their own stories of his inappropriate behavior, some just 13 years old at the time.”
Trapani emphasized that Casper co-owns and teaches at his gym with his current partner, who is well aware of his actions and continues to enable and protect him, giving him full authority to continue to act as he has been acting for 20 plus years now.
UFC’s Cub Swanson was one of the first to publicly support her after sharing a video documenting Casper’s alleged behavior.
Her decision to speak publicly echoes concerns raised by other high-level practitioners about systemic problems in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
On the Jits and Giggles podcast, black belt AJ Discianni recently addressed the sport’s ongoing accountability issues, including the continued operation of controversial figures.
“The sport is so immature and dirty sometimes and it’s kind of appalling as someone who’s really involved in it to like let everybody lets everything slide”
Discianni said.
Hall also criticized the culture of silence surrounding these issues:
“Making matters worse, some who would consider themselves good people are remaining silent, either unable or unwilling to put integrity over solidarity and financial interest.”
Trapani’s decision to continue speaking publicly, despite facing criticism, reflects this same principle. In her Instagram post, she wrote:
“Power, titles, and belts do not equal integrity. Owning a gym does not equal character. Being respected in public does not mean he is safe in private.”
She continued:
“Silence protects predators. Truth protects women. I will not be quiet to make other people comfortable.”
To others who may be in similar situations, Trapani offered encouragement:
“If you are watching this and wondering if you’re ‘allowed’ to tell your story, you are. If you are scared to speak, I understand. If you feel alone, you’re not. Your voice matters. Your safety matters. You matter.”
The current scrutiny creates an opening to address not just individual cases but the systemic failures that allow problematic behavior to persist across multiple teams and generations. The question Hall posed in 2013 remains unanswered, Will the community unite to ensure its words are not empty ones, or will it allow another twelve years to pass while letting everything slide?
The jiu-jitsu community’s credibility and future depend on the answer.
