A Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt has come forward with allegations spanning more than a decade against Leandro Vieira.
Julia Angelica shared a detailed public account describing what she characterizes as inappropriate behavior that began when she was a minor competing at her first Pan American championship.
According to Angelica, the behavior continued for years as she progressed through the ranks. She eventually relocated to Long Beach to continue her training, where she observed what she describes as additional concerning patterns within the community. When she later returned to the Bay Area, Vieira reportedly offered her teaching and training opportunities before removing her from his facility, citing how past circumstances were affecting his current relationship.
“I remember feeling sick, confused, and broken all over again,” she stated.
Vieira has coached some of mixed martial arts’ most prominent athletes during his tenure at American Kickboxing Academy, including Daniel Cormier, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. He also worked with Luke Rockhold and Cain Velasquez before later coaching Marlon Chito Vera.
In correspondence Angelica shared publicly, which she says was sent to Checkmat leadership more than two years ago, she detailed a relationship that allegedly began inappropriately during that first Pan American tournament. The four page letter described how Vieira allegedly made unwelcome advances on the first night of the trip.
The letter characterizes what followed as a coercive relationship that persisted into adulthood, normalizing what should have been recognized as a misuse of authority. According to the account, the inappropriate relationship finally ended years into adulthood, before Angelica moved to Southern California.
The correspondence expressed frustration with how the situation was handled after her removal from the academy.
“Upon being forced to depart from the only place and people I had come to regard as home and family, Leandro callously proclaimed that we were facing the repercussions of ‘our’ mistakes,” she wrote. “The stark reality that I confront today is that I continue to endure the ramifications of a situation over which I had no control, while he hypocritically and falsely shields himself behind moral superiority and religious conviction.”
Angelica also challenged Checkmat’s organizational integrity directly.
“Despite the team’s claims of being founded upon virtuous morals and values, my personal experiences and interactions have revealed a stark misalignment with virtuous conduct,” the letter states. “I find it difficult to believe that as leaders, you remain unaware of the wrongdoings committed by your peers and athletes, unless they are publicly exposed or directly impact the team’s financial interests.”
According to Angelica, the response from Checkmat leadership was limited. She received a brief message thanking her for feedback, followed by another where Vieira reportedly admitted he had not read the entire email because he was traveling, and extended an invitation for an in person conversation to clear any misunderstandings.
“Not much to clear after I already sent you a detailed 4 page letter,” Angelica commented. “Nothing more came of this.”
She further stated she had observed the organization handle other allegations with similar inaction.
“This makes THREE CHECKMAT BLACK BELTS that I know have been made aware of inappropriate conduct that STILL remain part of the team,” she wrote.
Following the public allegations, Leandro Vieira‘s team released a statement on social media addressing the matter.
The statement clarifies this is not a criminal accusation but rather a civil issue now in the hands of the justice system.
“Those who train here know the values we live by every day: respect, discipline, and care for one another,” the statement continues. “Our commitment remains unchanged: to provide a safe, positive, and respectful environment for every student and family.”
The current situation echoes concerns raised over a decade ago by high level competitor Ryan Hall, who left Lloyd Irvin‘s team in 2013 and wrote extensively about problematic culture within Brazilian jiu jitsu.
Full statement:
The excerpt from an email she sent to checkmat at the time:
