In recent days, the international jiu-jitsu community has begun to more openly address public statements made by women regarding experiences of misconduct within the sport. This renewed discussion gained momentum after athlete Alexa Herse shared a series of posts on her personal social media describing what she characterized as inappropriate behavior during training involving Andre Galvão.
Alexa’s statements, published openly and attributed solely to her, were widely circulated and prompted broader conversations within the community. Following these posts, other women began speaking publicly about their own experiences, many of which had remained undisclosed for years.
It is within this broader context that the name Leandro Alcantara Vieira appears in a publicly accessible civil lawsuit filed in Santa Clara County, California, which also names organizations associated with the Checkmat team.
This article is intended to provide factual, public-record information only, based on statements made by the individuals involved and documents available through official court records. It does not offer conclusions or judgments.
Context surrounding the public discussion
After Alexa’s posts were made public, conversations intensified around issues such as power dynamics in high-level training environments, the culture of silence in competitive sports, and institutional responsibility.
As these discussions unfolded, additional women came forward with personal accounts, each distinct in circumstance and timing. One such case involves Julia Trevino, whose allegations are detailed in a civil lawsuit that has been publicly available prior to the recent attention and is now receiving increased visibility.
The inclusion of these developments together is purely chronological and contextual, and does not imply causation or collective responsibility.
Julia Trevino’s public statements
In posts shared on her personal profile, Julie Trevino explains that she chose to speak publicly after many years of remaining silent. According to her account, the events she describes occurred when she was still a minor and involved a relationship of trust with a figure of authority in jiu-jitsu.
In her public statements, she says that:
- she was approximately 17 years old at the time;
- she was still developing emotionally and athletically;
- the individual involved was someone she trusted as a coach and mentor;
- she experienced unwanted sexual advances;
- she remained silent for nearly a decade due to fear, shame, and uncertainty;
- she later left the team without publicly explaining the reasons;
- she is now speaking as part of a personal process of closure and awareness.
Julie Trevino also states that she filed a report with local law enforcement.
These statements are available directly from her own public accounts, where she serves as the primary source of the information.
What the public civil lawsuit states
In addition to her personal statements, a civil lawsuit filed in Santa Clara County, California, is available for public review through the UniCourt database:
According to the court filing, Julia Trevino is the plaintiff and alleges that she was subjected to sexual abuse during her childhood by an instructor who, at the time, held positions as a coach, mentor, and advisor.
The lawsuit also names entities associated with the jiu-jitsu community, including Checkmat, alleging that these organizations had supervisory authority over the instructor in question.
Among the claims outlined in the filing, the plaintiff alleges that the organizations:
- exercised control or oversight over the instructor;
- knew or reasonably should have known about inappropriate conduct;
- failed to take action to prevent or stop the alleged behavior;
- and, according to the complaint, participated in actions that contributed to concealing the alleged misconduct.
The case is a civil matter and, based on publicly available records, no final judgment has been issued at this time.
Allegations versus judicial findings
It is important to note that:
- civil complaints reflect allegations made by the plaintiff;
- these allegations have not yet been adjudicated;
- no court ruling establishing liability or responsibility has been issued.
This article reports only what is stated in public documents and public statements, without interpretation or inference.
Why this is so important to the jiu-jitsu community
Situations like this have brought renewed attention to long-standing concerns within competitive sports, including:
- imbalanced power relationships between young athletes and coaches;
- barriers that discourage reporting misconduct;
- institutional accountability;
- and the lasting impact of unresolved experiences on athletes’ lives.
Providing access to public records allows the community to review original sources and engage with the information directly.
Public sources referenced
- Public statements shared by Julie Trevino on her personal social media
- Civil lawsuit filed in Santa Clara County, California
👉 https://unicourt.com/case/ca-scl-casebif1cbef050ec2-1297641 - Public posts by Alexa Herse on her personal profile
Public Statements
It is important to note that Leandro Vieira published a statement on his Instagram regarding the matter, as did Checkmat.
Checkmat Statement
“Checkmat is governed by a collective leadership structure, and matters of this nature are addressed through established internal processes. The leadership board reconvened to review an issue that had previously been brought before the organization involving a former member of the leadership board.
When the allegations were first raised, the board removed the individual from any leadership role, allowing only limited affiliation while an ongoing civil proceeding awaited resolution, which remains unresolved.
As part of the board’s ongoing responsibility to reassess unresolved matters that affect organizational standards, the leadership board voted to suspend the individual from all Checkmat affiliation until the civil action is resolved.
This is an administrative governance decision made to uphold organizational standards and responsibilities. It is not a finding of fact and not a response to public commentary.
Checkmat remains committed to maintaining a safe, professional, and respectful training environment across all affiliated academies. No further public comment will be made while the matter is pending.”
Leandro Vieira Statement
“To our community,
We want to address this matter openly and directly.
A recent allegation involving Coach Leandro was posted on social media by a former student and assistant coach who has not been part of our community for several years. While this allegation does not accurately represent the facts, we take any concerns raised about our academy very seriously.
We want to clarify that this is not a criminal accusation. The matter is civil in nature and, due to its legal status, is now in the hands of the justice system.
Coach Leandro has over 20 years of experience as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, teaching students of all ages around the world. Throughout those years, he has never had any allegation of misconduct. Those who train here know the values we live by every day: respect, discipline, and care for one another.
Our commitment remains unchanged: to provide a safe, positive, and respectful environment for every student and family.
We thank everyone for their understanding, trust, and continued support during this time.”
Final note
This article is informational in nature only.
It does not constitute an investigation, accusation, or legal conclusion.
BJJGirlsMag emphasizes the importance of due process, responsible reporting, and thoughtful engagement with sensitive issues affecting the sport.