Busted Martial Artists

[GeneChing]

How horrible.

‘CHILD KILLER’ CAUGHT Martial arts fanatic who filmed himself ‘stabbing boy, 9, to death’ hands himself in to German cops – as another body is found in blazing flat
Marcel Hesse, 19, walked into a fast-food restaurant and told the owner to call police
By Allan Hall
10th March 2017, 8:01 am Updated: 10th March 2017, 11:47 am

AN accused child killer who allegedly filmed the brutal murder of a nine-year-old boy for a ‘snuff film’ has handed himself in to cops.

Marcel Hesse, 19, walked into a fast-food restaurant in the German town of Herne where he lived and said: “Please call the police – they are looking for me.”


The suspect, identified as Marcel Hesse was on the run following the brutal killing EPA

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Marcus Gutmann @gutmannmarcus
its over #marcel #marcelhesse #marcelheße #nrw #herne
12:21 PM - 9 Mar 2017
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Jaden, nine, was found lying in a 'lake of his own blood' by his stepfather CEN

Shortly after the arrest, police reported that they had found the body of another potential victim in a blazing flat.

They initially announced that two bodies were discovered but later corrected this, according to Spiegel.

Hesse had been on the run since being accused of killing a neighbour’s child on Monday.

[GeneChing]

Teenager saved sister's life when knife-wielding kung fu champion burst into home
TRISTAN KIRK 2 hours ago


Attacker: Walter Pantellaro, 27, had not taken medication for his schizophrenia

A judge has praised the “extraordinary courage” of a teenager who saved his sister’s life when a knife-wielding kung fu champion burst into their home.

The 15-year-old was stabbed in the arms and chest as he defended his 22-year-old sister from Walter Pantellaro.

The Italian, who was in the grip of a bout of insanity, had kicked his way into their Vauxhall flat in the middle of the night, launching a “frenzied” attack on the woman in her own bedroom.

Yesterday, Judge Jeremy Donne QC ordered that Pantellaro be locked up indefinitely and hailed the boy’s bravery. He told Inner London crown court: “But for his intervention, we would quite likely be dealing with a death.

“Entirely regardless of his own safety, he fought with the defendant and left his sister only to get a chair as a weapon with which he was able to force the defendant out of the flat. He showed quite extraordinary courage.”

After hearing that the boy was forced to miss his GCSEs due to his injuries, the judge awarded him £750. His sister, who suffered wounds to her left arm and shoulder, is now afraid to leave her own home and fearful of being out at night.

Pantellaro, 27, a world kung fu champion, had been in the UK on holiday for less than two weeks when he carried out the attack on May 1. Armed with a knife from a stolen multi-tool, he stabbed the woman as she lay in bed. He later attacked bouncers at a club.

When questioned by police, he said: “I do what I like because I am God.” He claimed to have taken 10 grams of cocaine which made him “furious like a tiger”, but tests revealed he had only cannabis in his system. He said he wanted to take “possession” of the flat so he could sleep there.

Asked why he stabbed the woman, he said: “Because I am racist.” Pantellaro, of no fixed address but originally from Acireale in Sicily, revealed he had been diagnosed as schizophrenic in Italy but had not taken his medication. Police found his notebook, with a swastika drawn in it, and later discovered letters signed “W Lucifer J” in his cell.

Pantellaro denied attempted murder, wounding with intent, and racially aggravated assault by beating, by reason of insanity. The prosecution urged the jury to come to the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity so he could continue to receive treatment.

After the jury did so, Judge Donne ordered Pantellaro to be detained in Broadmoor until a mental health tribunal is convinced he can be released.

Kung-Fu champion 'tried to stab girl and her brother to death'
TRISTAN KIRK Courts Reporter a day ago


Pantellaro, 27, was said to have carried out the “frenzied” knife attack during a bout of insanity

A kung-fu champion who stabbed a brother and sister in a “racist” attack after bursting into their home in the middle of the night said afterwards: “I do what I like because I am God”, a court heard.

Walter Pantellaro, 27, carried out the “frenzied” knife attack during a bout of insanity, kicking his way into the Vauxhall flat while armed with a knife, it is said.

The Italian first attacked the sister, 22, as she lay naked in bed, stabbing her repeatedly while she screamed for help and tried to fend off the attack, Inner London Crown Court heard.

Pantellaro then allegedly turned on her 15-year-old brother as he bravely intervened during the incident on May 1 last year.

Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay told jurors they will be asked to reach a “special” verdict, finding Pantellaro not guilty of the charges by reason of insanity so that he can be held securely for mental health treatment.


Pantellaro stabbed a woman as she lay naked in bed before stabbing her brother as he rushed to help

The court heard the Italian-born martial arts specialist admitted to police that he had carried out the attacks, saying he did it “because I am racist”.

While being held at HMP Belmarsh, guards found letters penned by Pantellaro signed off as W. Lucifer J., the court heard, and one of his notebooks found near the scene of the attack contained a drawing of a swastika.

“The defendant admitted carrying out the attacks, he said he did that because he was racist”, said Mr Polnay.

“They are undeniably shocking acts, and when you hear what he did and his account why he did it, you may think there is no other description but insanity for what took place.”

Witnesses saw the Italian trying to get into the block of flats in Vauxhall at around 3am, and after two failed attempts he managed to kick his way into one of the homes.


Walter Pantellaro, 27, near the houses of Parliament

Mr Polnay said the female victim, who was on the cusp of taking her university final exams, woke up just after 3.30am to see Pantellaro’s silhouette in her bedroom doorway.

“He came towards her and started to hit her - she didn’t realise she was being stabbed at first, but being stabbed she was”, he said.

“Near the end of the attack, her brother shouted ‘what are you doing to my sister?’ And very bravely he threw a punch at the man, but then this defendant lunged at the boy and stabbed him repeatedly.”

The wounded teenage boy then grabbed a chair from his mother’s bedroom and hit Pantellaro with it, forcing him to flee the flat, it is said.

The court heard a short time later, Pantellaro was spotted loitering outside the Ashtar club on the Thames embankment, and was caught on camera launching a “ferocious attack” on bouncer Raymond Osoba.

Pantellaro, whose clothes were blood-stained from the earlier knife attack, was eventually pinned down by club staff and arrested.

At the police station, Pantellaro claimed he had taken ten grams of cocaine which made him “furious...like a tiger”, but tests revealed he only had cannabis in his system.

Pantellaro said he stabbed the woman because he “wanted to killed her”, and also told detectives he wanted to take “possession” of the flat so that he could sleep there.

He claimed he had come to the UK ten days earlier “for a holiday”, the court heard, he said he had been prescribed medication by a doctor in a white coat in Italy but had not taken it, and when quizzed over his symptoms of schizophrenia, Pantellaro replied: “I do what I like because I am God.”

“He confirmed he had attempted to kill the female in the flat, stabbed the male in the flat, and attacked the male outside the nightclub - he said his behaviour was motivated by racism”, added Mr Polnay.

Pantellaro, wearing glasses and a brown anorak, sat in the dock at Inner London crown court accompanied by two medical professionals and followed proceedings with the help of an Italian interpreter.

At the start of the trial, Judge Jeremy Donne QC told the jury that Pantellaro “is sadly very mentally unwell”.

“He is improving and able to take part in proceedings, but because of his ill health he is accompanied by psychiatric nurses”, he said.

“There’s going to be no dispute that Mr Pantellaro did all the things the prosecution allege he did, but he was so unwell at the time that he didn’t know what he was doing.”

Pantellaro, of no fixed address and originally from the Italian City of Acireale in Sicily, denies attempted murder, wounding with intent, and racially aggravated assault by beating, by virtue of insanity.

The trial continues.

'a world kung fu champion'

[Jimbo]

'a world kung fu champion'

Looks like he was a wushu performer. I'd take the title 'world kung fu champion' with a big grain of salt. Anyway, methinks his 'kung fu' days are over.

[GeneChing]

What is going on in Russia now?

1:09 / 28.03.2017
Martial arts coach was accomplice of Voronenkov’s murderer


‘Freedom to Ukrainian patriots’, Levents Yaroslav Anatolyevich
Photo: Social networks

Media named the second possible participant of attempt at ex-deputy of the State Duma Denis Voronenkov. It is supposed that it is Yaroslav Levenets.

Today, the Ukrainian media published information on the possible accomplice of Pavel Parshov, who shot former deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Denis Voronenkov in the center of Kiev on March 23.

According to journalists, the second participant of attempt is former serviceman of the Ukrainian nationalist Donbass battalion Yaroslav Levents, who is already wanted. Meanwhile law enforcement authorities suspect him of the illegal address of weapon or explosive. However, as journalists found out, it is not the first criminal experience for Levents.

In particular, in 2012 he became defendant in the case over organization of criminal group. However, as the website of the radical organization of the Ukrainian nationalists Right Sector (the extremist group forbidden in the territory of the Russian Federation) reports, some Ukrainian human rights activists rose in Yaroslav Levents's defense, as the result of what he was recognized as the political prisoner. Then Levenets organized school of training in a fighting hopak in native Dnipropetrovsk and taught generally youth.

In 2014 Levenets got to commander of the Donbass battalion Semyon Semyonchenko as a part of which he participated in the military conflict in Donbass where he probably got acquainted with future murderer of Voronenkov - Pavel Parshov.

Looks like he was a wushu performer. I'd take the title 'world kung fu champion' with a big grain of salt. Anyway, methinks his 'kung fu' days are over.

Good find, Jimbo. Thanks!

[GeneChing]

...time to split this into an indie thread. It was slightly OT in Busted Martial Artists anyway.

Queens lawyer sentenced for stealing from estate of late Judge John 'Kung Fu' Phillips


Frank Racano appears in Brooklyn Supreme Court for his sentencing on Thursday, April 20, 2017. He pleaded guilty earlier this month to stealing over $500,000 from the estate of the late Judge John Phillips after the sale of the Slave Theatre in Bedford-Stuyvesant. (Byron Smith for New York Daily News) (BYRON SMITH FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)
BY CHRISTINA CARREGA NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Thursday, April 20, 2017, 1:19 PM

A Queens lawyer who admitted to stealing over $500,000 from the estate of the late Judge John Phillips was sentenced Thursday to up to three years in prison.

Frank Racano pleaded guilty earlier this month for dipping into Phillips’ escrow account after the historic Slave Theatre and an adjacent lot in Bedford-Stuyvesant sold for $2.28 million in 2012.

The Slave Theatre was demolished earlier this year.

“For over several years, Racano took out thousands and paid off his mother’s condo until the account depleted to nothing,” said Assistant District Attorney Frank Dudis at Racano’s sentencing in Brooklyn Supreme Court.

In May 2016, after Racano admitted in civil court to writing over 300 checks from the account and was thrown into jail for 30 days, he was indicted for the brazen grand larceny.

Prosecutors recommended Racano go to prison for up to four years, but Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun decided three was appropriate.

“Grand larceny in the second-degree does not always require jail time ... I felt given the amount stolen and the abuse of his position as an attorney did not warrant no jail time,” Chun said.

Racano was also ordered to pay back $587,161 to the estate of Phillips, who was known as “the Kung Fu Judge” because of his martial arts proficiency.

His attorney, Samuel Karliner, said he has paid some of it back already.


Judge John L. Phillips in front of his Slave Theatre at 1215 Fulton Street in Brooklyn. (HE, GARY)

“It doesn't surprise me. When attorneys embezzle a clients money, its never an isolated incident. They know what they are doing, they just decided to throw in the towel," said John O'Hara, an attorney for Phillips.

The disgraced lawyer was also pleaded guilty in Queens for stealing over $50,000 from Tina Rashkover and Lisandra Vasquez, according to court documents. He's expected to be sentenced for that case on April 24.

“This is hopefully the last straw to destroy the legacy of a beloved judge here in Brooklyn,” said Dudis.

This was not the first time an attorney had raided Phillips’ estate.

In 2008, Phillips' former guardian, Emani Taylor, was ordered to repay $403,000 to his estate.

In 2006, Maria Leyna Albertina pleaded guilty for stealing the deeds of several homes in Brooklyn, including one that belonged to Phillips.

Phillips, who was a civil court judge for 17 years and known for his martial arts skills, suffered from Alzheimer’s and died in 2008 at the age of 83.

[GeneChing]

Clearfield police arrest martial arts instructor for sexual assault of one of his students
by Larry D. CurtisThursday, April 20th 2017

[IMG]http//static-14.sinclairstoryline.com/resources/media/d8a96c5b-a6ff-445f-8fbf-4dd59edd9f27-KUTV_Fullmer_MUGS16X9.png[/IMG]
Clearfield police arrest martial arts instructor for sexual assault of one of his students. (Photo: Davis County Jail)

(KUTV) Police have arrested a 20-year-old martial arts instructor for sexual assault and forcible sodomy of a child.
Clearfield police booked Damian Fullmer into the Davis County Jail on a total of eight counts for his alleged assaults on a juvenile girl who was his student at Evolutionary Martial Arts in Syracuse, Utah. Police say the girl met Fullmer more than a year ago through his position as her instructor.
He faces six counts of aggravated sexual assault and two counts of forcible sodomy of a child, according to police.
Roy police contacted Clearfield police with information about a possible sex offense that occurred in Clearfield. After investigating, Clearfield police arrested Fullmer.
Police said there is no evidence indicating that there are additional victims, but requested anyone with information related to the case or suspects that others have been a victim of Fullmer to contact Clearfield police at 801.525.2806.

Forcible sodomy of a child just makes me sick.

[GeneChing]

£20,000 = $25772.00 Get your martial arts dummies here (pot not included ).

Cannabis found inside martial arts training dummy in £20k seizure at Derry house, court hears
By Alan Erwin
April 27 2017


Court heard a bag full of drugs was found after police removed part of the dummy.

Police found herbal cannabis hidden inside a martial arts training dummy as part of a £20,000 seizure at a house in Derry, the High Court heard on Friday.

Officers also recovered gold rings, receipts for more jewellery and £1,280 in cash during searches at the home George Campbell shares with his parents.

Details emerged as the 27-year-old was refused bail amid claims he is involved in drug dealing.

Campbell, of Glendale Road in the city, faces charges of possessing cannabis with intent to supply, having criminal property, and simple possession of cocaine.

Police discovered small quantities of the drugs in his bedroom during a raid carried out on April 13, the court heard.

Prosecution counsel Natalie Pinkerton said a further search of the attic uncovered nine nine bags of herbal cannabis in the attic.

She told the court officers then became aware of a strong smell of outside the house.

"They located a training dummy used for martial arts and boxing," the barrister added.

A bag full of drugs was found after police removed part of the dummy.

"The combined weight of the herbal cannabis in the attic and outside was 1kg, with an estimated value of £20,000," Ms Pinkerton said.

During interviews Campbell said the drugs inside the house were for his personal use, but claimed the rest was being kept for an unnamed man to be collected later.

Mark Reel, defending, described his client as a drug user who was paid in cannabis for holding supplies for another person.

Campbell insists his fingerprints or DNA will not be found on any of the bags outside the house.

Denying bail, however, Mr Justice Burgess ruled there were no conditions to guard against the risk of re-offending.

He added: "These offences seem to have been happening at his parent's home, and they don't appear to have much control over what was happening.

"Even the smell of cannabis outside the house - I will put down to the parents not knowing what the smell of cannabis was."

Online Editors

[GeneChing]

Doesn't sound like this perp was even a martial artist at all. Hope he gets what's coming to him in the joint.

Man convicted of luring children with martial arts lesson then sexually abusing them
Cameron Knight , cknight@enquirer.com Published 8:50 p.m. ET May 19, 2017 | Updated 3:36 p.m. ET May 22, 2017


(Photo: Provided/Kenton County Detention Center)

An Elsmere man was found guilty this week of luring children to his home with the promise of martial arts lessons then sexually abuse them, according to the Kenton County Prosecutor's Office.

Robbie Whaley, 45, was convicted on sodomy and sexual abuse charges by a Kenton County jury after seven hours of deliberation.

Whaley could spend the rest of his life in prison.

The investigation began in January 2015 after a report of child sexual assault at Whaley's residence on Garvey Avenue, prosecutors said.

A second juvenile victim came forward after the initial investigation was launched, police said. Both victim told police they went to Whaley's home for martial arts lessons.

Whaley was indicted in October 2015 and released on bond while awaiting trial.

After his release, prosecutors said two more juvenile victims came forward with new allegations of sexual assault against Whaley bringing the total number of victims to four. At least one of the victim was under the age of 12.

After hearing testimony about his criminal history, prosecutors said the jury recommended a life sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years, however, Whaley won't be formally sentenced until July 11.

[GeneChing]

Regardless of the situation, it surely doesn't help that the boss goes by 'Master Wan'

Kung fu kicks: Chinese company says victim injured self
Published June 20, 2017


Ekanem

…police investigate bribery claim
Samson Folarin

Bedmate Furniture Company has faulted the allegations of a worker with the firm, William Ekanem, that his immediate boss, Master Wan, crippled him with kung fu kicks.

The company said Ekanem, who allegedly had a history of stealing property of the company, was blackmailing the firm.



Bedmate explained that he was caught a few weeks to the incident with some celotapes, a claim that Ekanem denied.

It added that a medical report from Beachland Specialist Hospital, Arepo, indicated that the 27-year-old only had pains in some parts of his body after falling during a scuffle with Master Wan, who wanted to search him.

PUNCH Metro had reported that Ekanem had bought some foodstuffs on the premises of the company when he was confronted by his Chinese boss, Master Wan, who asked to see the content of the bag.

After forcefully checking the bag, the victim was allegedly given a kick in the back by the Chinese, who also stamped his foot on his chest.

Ekanem was taken to Beachland Specialist Hospital, Arepo, before he was admitted to Divine Touch Hospital, Ibafo, where he was treated for two weeks.

Our correspondent reported that the Ibafo Divisional Crime Officer allegedly collected N50,000 bribe and another envelope from the company to deny the victim justice.

The case was then transferred to the Area Command, Sagamu, from where it was transferred to the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro also reported that some Nigerians berated the Ibafo DCO for allegedly collecting bribe, calling for the arrest of Master Wan.

On Monday, the Managing Director of Bedmate Furniture Company, David Pan; and the company’s lawyer, Ayo Durojaye, during a visit to PUNCH Place, Magboro, said Ekanem was painting the company in bad light in order to extort money from it.

Durojaiye noted that Ekanem had a history of stealing, which made Master Wan suspicious of him on the day of the incident.

He said, “Ekanem is a foreman with Bedmate Furniture. Three or four weeks to the incident, he had a case of stealing. He stole some big celotapes. He was caught at the gate by the security men and was reported to the factory manager.

“It was Master Wan who begged for him to be pardoned. The celotapes were collected from him.

“It was after this incident that he was seen with a bag in the factory. Master Wan asked him what was in the bag. He refused to open the bag. The man struggled with him, but he refused to open the bag till the end of work that day.

“He went to keep the bag in his drawer and locked it. While they were dragging the bag, he fell and he continued with his work that day.”

Durojaiye explained that the victim, who showed up in the office the following day, suddenly disappeared on the third day, claiming that he was ill due to the fall.

The lawyer said the company’s Nigerian manager, Lekan, advised him to go to the company’s hospital, Beachland Specialist Hospital, for treatment.

“He went there and was treated. He didn’t show up in the office again. The next thing the company saw was that he had gone to the Ibafo Police Station to report the case. The police investigated his claim and discovered that he was not saying the truth.

“I went to the station with Master Wan. The DCO of Ibafo station called him and asked what he wanted. He said he wanted the company to pay him off. We agreed with him, but some human rights people said they wanted settlement and they would want their lawyer to be involved.

“Later, the lawyer requested N50m compensation and threatened to take further action,” he added.

He said the case was transferred to the Area Command, where Ekanem was asked to go for a test at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, but refused and went to the General Hospital, Owode.

He added that the deputy to the Area Commander read the test result, which also showed that the victim was in good condition.

“One Moses later called and said they would collect N15m.

“He is a casual worker. Nobody forced him to take the job. Many people are queuing up at the gate. He collects a minimum of N34,000 per month and there are times that the money could be as high as N60,000 if he meets his target.

“I took N134,000 to him because the company gave him N100,000 for feeding and N34,000 as his salary,” he said.

When our correspondent asked about the N10,000 deducted from the victim’s salary as part of expenses for his feeding and treatment, Durojaiye said Ekanem requested that the money be deducted from his salary at the end of the month.

“This is a clear case of extortion. There is a co-worker that saw this boy at Ibafo walking normally. Ekanem told the worker that he needed the money and that he was merely pretending,” he added.

The company’s MD, Pan, said Master Wan was a worker of the company, adding that the firm was considering suing Ekanem for blackmail.

He explained that the company had been in Nigeria for the past 15 years without any blemish, saying if Ekanem had a genuine case, the firm would have settled him.

He said, “The truth is the case is two guys fighting. We have been here for 15 years. If we were this bad, would we have stayed this long?”

However, a worker with the company, told PUNCH Metro that the Chinese man kicked the victim.

The worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Master Wan and Ekanem were friends, but fell out after a minor disagreement.

He said, “He actually struggled with Master Wan and the Chinese man got injured in the chest. Ekanem was leaving when the man gave him the kick in the back. He fell and started crying; he could not stand up again.”

When our correspondent contacted Ekanem, he denied the company’s allegations.

He said, “I didn’t steal any celotape. Master Wan gave me the celotapes. They accused me of stealing them and I called Master Wan, who told them that he gave me the two celotapes and I was released.

“On the day he beat me up, it was workers at the company that saved me. He kicked me and I fell.

“I went to the hospital that day around 1pm. A worker in the factory, Tonton, held me by the hand and took me in a vehicle to the hospital.

“The second day, I could not stand and my wife called the firm that I was bedridden and they said I should be taken back to the hospital and that was how I returned to Beachland hospital.

“Four of my colleagues came to tell me that the Chinese company paid them to video me in the house and see how I was doing.

“I can’t still sleep at night and I can’t afford my medical bills. I am in pain and I hope it is not when I die that they will know that I am telling the truth.”

The victim told our correspondent that two policemen from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Abeokuta, visited and interviewed him about the bribery allegation against the Ibafo DCO.

He explained that after taking his statements, the policemen also took his photographs.

A source within the Ogun State Government said the state Ministry of Women Affairs would soon visit the victim, adding that the government would intervene if mediation failed.

[Shaolin Dude]

When I was training in Yao Li's school, he revealed to us that he was a convicted burglar and has spent some time at Boston's old Charles Street Jail.

[GeneChing]

$60 million but only 4 years.

Sexual-abuse victims get $60-million judgment against former taekwondo instructor
Leila Miller

Three women who sued their former taekwondo instructor for sexually abusing them while they were minors each have been awarded $20 million in damages by a California court.

The $60-million default judgment against Marc Scott Gitelman was awarded last week by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge after Gitelman failed to respond to an amended complaint stemming from a 2015 civil lawsuit filed by the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit alleged that Gitelman molested the women from 2007 until his arrest on sexual assault charges in August 2014. According to the lawsuit, on multiple occasions Gitelman invited the young athletes to his hotel room to watch videos of their previous taekwondo matches before he sexually abused them.

Gitelman was sentenced in October 2015 to more than four years in state prison after a Pomona jury convicted him of multiple felony counts, including oral copulation of a minor, unlawful sexual intercourse and lewd acts upon a child.

He was also ordered to register as a lifetime sex offender, according to the sentence handed down by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Bruce Marrs. Gitelman is appealing the conviction.

“The numbers are in line with what the values of these cases are,” said Stephen Estey, an attorney for one of the plaintiffs, referring to the damage award. “The judge in this case recognized the long-term consequences of being sexually abused as a child.”

South El Monte teacher arrested on suspicion of molesting students
The civil suit also named several athletic organizations involved in the girls’ competitions for failing to protect them. The Olympic-caliber athletes competed in tournaments associated with the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Taekwondo. The women have appealed a Superior Court decision to dismiss claims against the USOC and USA Taekwondo, according to Estey.

“They should have had policies and procedures in place to prevent this from happening,” said Estey. The attorney said his client stayed on the same floor as her coach at a training facility’s dorms. “They did not have any chaperone policies in place and Gitelman would take these girls to these tournaments.… It was a free for all.”

An attorney representing the USOC declined to comment.

Gitelman instructed students at community centers in the Las Vegas area as well as at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and traveled to various locales across California and Nevada for taekwondo tournaments, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. Doris Leroy, an attorney representing Gitelman in the criminal lawsuit, said there were evidentiary errors in the criminal trial but declined to comment further.

The 2015 lawsuit alleges that Gitelman forced one of the athletes to perform oral sex while driving her to a competition at the International Taekwondo Festival in California in May 2008. When they arrived at their hotel, Gitelman invited the athlete to his room to watch videos of her previous taekwondo fights. He then gave her alcohol and molested her, the lawsuit alleges.

In 2009, that athlete was molested again at the Olympic Training Center dorms in Colorado Springs, Colo., the lawsuit states.

It also describes an event in March 2010 sponsored by the Olympic Committee, among other organizations, when Gitelman invited two of the plaintiffs to his hotel room where they played a drinking game. While one of the plaintiffs laid on his bed intoxicated, the other plaintiff saw him inappropriately touch her.

After helping the intoxicated athlete find her way back to her hotel room, the other plaintiff returned to Gitelman’s room where he served her more alcohol. The lawsuit alleges that he then forced her to lie on his bed, where he sexually abused her.

Two of the girls lodged a formal complaint in early 2014 with USA Taekwondo, the governing body overseeing the sport in the U.S. Shortly after, those girls and a third victim came forward and informed police of the abuse.

Kendra Gatt, 23, one of the plaintiffs, said the judgment marks a step forward for her.

“I feel like I lost my time and energy, and my mental health was directed in a different way throughout the years at the trial, criminal [case] and moving into civil,” Gatt said in an interview.

She began taekwondo at age 11 and aspired to try out for the Olympic team. She didn’t tell her parents about being abused for two years and did so only after seeing a Facebook post from another plaintiff who described being in an “odd predicament” with her taekwondo coach.

“When I discovered that I wasn’t the only one that it happened to I put some pieces together and realized I wasn’t going to be the last either,” she said. “I decided to voice what happened to me because I never wanted it to happen to any other girl or athlete in general.”

The lawsuit said that Gitelman “did not attempt to hide his relationships with the various plaintiffs” and the defendants “were aware that female taekwondo athletes, and Olympic level athletes in general were frequently victims of sexual molestation by their coaches yet did nothing to protect these athletes from such abuse.”

Although one of the plaintiffs operates a taekwondo studio in Las Vegas, two of them, Estey said, no longer practice taekwondo.

Gatt is currently a biology student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She said that after she stopped training with Gitelman at age 16, she didn’t want to continue practicing martial arts.

“I couldn’t as a 16-year-old come to terms with my feeling of what was happening,” she said. “I tried again with a different instructor months later and I just didn’t feel the same. I kind of lost a little passion in it.”

[hskwarrior]

A local karate instructor has been arrested by the Griffin Police Department and charged with child molestation and enticing a child for indecent purposes.

According to Griffin Police Department Chief Mike Yates, Daniel George has been arrested and charged in connection to a complaint filed by a parent.

Filed by former GPD Officer Matthew Boynton, the report states that the sex abuse allegation was submitted directly to the Police Department.

The report states that during a conversation that same date about the importance of honesty, a seven-year-old girl told her mother “that she guessed it was okay to tell (mother) that Mr. Dan (her karate instructor) had touched her private area.”

The report states the mother asked her daughter how she was touched and the child said, “Mr. Dan put his hand on her stomach and then went inside her pants.”

The mother reported her daughter attended summer camp at Championship Martial Arts, and described Daniel George as the lead instructor.

The mother alleged her daughter said she “was told by Mr. Dan that she was not allowed to tell her mom or anything about him touching her and he made her promise. (The girl) also said that when Mr. Dan asked her to promise that she had her fingers crossed behind her back, so she felt it was okay to tell her mom what she said.”

The mother also alleged her daughter reported that while other children were eating a snack at the karate studio, George would take her in the girls’ locker room where he “tries to fix her pants because they are too tight,” and that she has a “secret room in the studio where she goes and plays on a computer that only she has access to with Mr. Dan’s permission.”

The GRIP contacted the owner of Championship Martial Arts, who said he is cooperating fully with the investigation, and confirmed that Daniel George is no longer an employee of the karate studio.

Yates said the investigation is ongoing, but was unable to confirm if any other suspected victims have been identified.

.......................

[GeneChing]

I'm trying not to smirk at the 'karaoke-machine remote control' part.

Sumo champion Harumafuji to be referred to prosecutors for alleged assault in drunken brawl
KYODO
NOV 21, 2017



TOTTORI – Police are set to refer sumo grand champion Harumafuji to prosecutors by the end of the year on suspicion of assaulting lower-ranked wrestler Takanoiwa in a drunken brawl, investigative sources said Tuesday.

Under questioning late last week, the 33-year-old Mongolian yokozuna admitted to striking 27-year-old Takanoiwa with his palms, his fists and a karaoke-machine remote control, according to the sources.

Takanoiwa is believed to have suffered head injuries after being struck with an object, but Harumafuji has denied allegations that he hit the fellow Mongolian with a beer bottle in the late-October incident at a restaurant-bar in the city of Tottori, the sources said.

The police have determined that they can continue the investigation without arresting Harumafuji as he isn’t considered a flight risk or thought likely to destroy evidence, the sources said.

The police are carefully looking into how Harumafuji injured Takanoiwa but it remains unclear how accurately Takanoiwa can recall the incident, as the No. 8 ranked maegashira told police he kept his eyes closed as he was being hit.

According to other sources, Harumafuji became angry as Takanoiwa was using his smartphone while being scolded for his behavior by yokozuna Hakuho at the restaurant-bar.

Yokozuna Kakuryu and sekiwake Terunofuji — both from Mongolia — and some Japanese wrestlers were also present during the incident, the sources said.

The police are soon expected to question others in attendance including Kakuryu and Hakuho. Hakuho has said that Harumafuji did not strike Takanoiwa with a beer bottle.

The controversy has deepened as conflicting accounts of the alleged attack emerged — including the possibility that a liquor bottle, not a beer bottle, was used in the attack, according to investigative sources.

Further complicating the situation is Takanoiwa’s stablemaster Takanohana, whose actions leading up to the investigation have drawn criticism. Takanohana filed a police report about the incident late last month but only informed the Japan Sumo Association much later.

Yasuko Ikenobo, chairwoman of the JSA executive council and former vice education minister, took a swipe at Takanohana’s failure to immediately report the incident to the board of directors. Ikenobo, whose council convened a meeting on Monday, told reporters that many attendees were disappointed that the scandal broke during the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament. Takanohana had an “obligation to report” the incident to the JSA, according to Ikenobo.

Takanohana has remained mum about the incident, scarcely responding to the reporters following his every move.

Meanwhile, news that Harumafuji was expected to be referred to prosecutors for the assault charge has disappointed sumo fans.

“Sumo was finally regaining popularity, so it’s sad that it has been taken up by the media almost daily in such a way,” said Miyu Suzuki, 26, who attended the ongoing Kyushu tournament from Osaka.

Takanoiwa missed the tournament after being diagnosed with head injuries including a suspected skull fracture and a cerebrospinal fluid leak. Harumafuji withdrew from the tournament on the third day after the media reported the scandal.

The JSA said its crisis management panel will investigate the case and hand down a judgment or punishment sometime after the tournament ends on Sunday.

Busted Martial Artists & Sumo

[GeneChing]

Disgraced Judo Olympian Resurfaces At Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
Nov 28, 2017
FloGrappling Staff



An Olympic gold medalist jailed for rape and ostracized by the judo community was seen competing in a jiu-jitsu tournament this past weekend.

Masato Uchishiba, 39, was sentenced to five years in prison for the rape of a college student in 2011.

A two-time Olympic champion, Uchishiba won gold for Japan in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008 in the 66kg division.

On Sunday, Uchishiba won double gold (middleweight and openweight) in the masters blue belt divisions of the ASJJF Dumau Japan Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2017 in Samukawa, a town about 30 minutes south of Yokohama. His participation in the tournament was first reported by Global Training Report.

Uchishiba had five matches, of which he won all via submission (four armbars and a choke from mount).



Masato Uchishiba in first place on the podium. Photo: Global Training Report

Arrested in 2011, Uchishiba was working as a coach for a women’s judo team at the Kyushu University of Nursing and Social Welfare when he assaulted his victim. On February 1, 2013, he was sentenced to five years in prison after unsuccessfully appealing the verdict.

Uchishiba was handed a ban from competing in judo tournaments by the All Japan Judo Federation.

Watch two of Uchishiba's matches below:

I'm only posting one of the matches.

[GeneChing]

Harvey Weinstein’s Hong Kong associate Bey Logan accused of sexual misconduct
British-born martial arts enthusiast insists he never forced himself on women, and has expressed regret for any action that may have hurt others

PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 13 December, 2017, 6:05pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 13 December, 2017, 11:25pm
Niall Fraser
niall.fraser@scmp.com
http://twitter.com/meoldchina64



Hong Kong has become embroiled in the Harvey Weinstein sex abuse scandal after multiple women alleged they were victims of sexual misconduct by an associate and former top executive of the Hollywood mogul’s operation in the city.

British-born martial arts enthusiast Bey Logan, a former Asia vice-president of The Weinstein Company, has been accused of “inappropriate behaviour” by seven women, including Indonesian-Chinese former actress Sable Yu, who starred in the unfinished Logan-helmed film Snowblade.

The Post understands that Weinstein himself – who visited Hong Kong regularly for business over a number of years – has so far not been the subject of any direct accusations of sexual misconduct by women in the city or the wider Asian film industry.

Among the allegations are claims that Logan touched Yu’s breast in front of a whole film crew and that the executive – who worked for The Weinstein Company from 2005 to 2009 – “habitually threatened” her with legal action when she tried to quit the film due to psychological pressure.

Responding to reports published on Wednesday in the Hollywood Reporter and a local Hong Kong news website, Logan, who had earlier issued a statement expressing regret for his actions, told the Post: “At the time I was confronted with the accusations, I was shocked and uttered responses off the record which came across as defiant and defensive. I apologise for the same.

“I have given my written statement and take this opportunity to express my regret for the hurt and embarrassment caused to my family and friends.”

None of the allegations made so far have been reported to the police or any other law enforcement agency.


Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been embroiled in multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. Photo: Reuters

Logan, who considers Weinstein a “friend and mentor”, is also understood to have communicated with the producer in recent days regarding the accusations he now faces.

The former executive is also believed to have spoken to Weinstein when allegations of sexual misconduct first emerged against the movie mogul. The scandal later sparked a full-blown international movement by men and women claiming to be victims of sexual misconduct by film stars, producers and studio executives, under the “Me Too” social media campaign.

The extent of Weinstein’s links to Hong Kong and Asia were illustrated earlier this year when a eulogy he wrote following the death of prominent entrepreneur and socialite David Tang was published in the Financial Times.

In the opening lines of that piece Weinstein, referring to Logan by name, wrote: “When I first went to Hong Kong 25 years ago, I came as a lover of Hong Kong cinema, especially martial arts movies. I met my friend and colleague, Bey Logan, who is a walking encyclopaedia of that genre.

“I also met many other incredible people like Jackie Chan, John Woo, and the great producer Peter Lam. It was just an extraordinary group, but of all these people, no one stood out more than Sir David Tang (who wasn’t a ‘Sir’ at the time).”

Since 2009, Logan has worked sporadically with Weinstein, co-producing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny in 2016. He often accompanied the producer on his visits to Hong Kong, Beijing and other Asian cities.


A Facebook picture of Bey Logan with actress Sable Yu on the set of Snowblade.

Sable Yu told the news website HK01 that when she was the lead actress in Snowblade, a film involving “martial arts, violence, and nudity,” Logan made her strip to her underwear on a daily basis so that he could inspect her body “for whether she had gained weight”.

On another occasion, Yu claims Logan tweaked her nipple in front of the whole crew, an act that made her “livid”. “This is very degrading to a woman,” Yu said. “I felt that somebody literally threw s**t in my face.”

Yu also alleged that Logan, whose wife is a lawyer, habitually threatened her with legal action when she tried to quit the film due to the psychological pressure.

Logan is also accused of “exposing himself” and Yu said she was traumatised by the Snowblade experience and was still seeking psychological help.

Allegations of sexual misconduct were made by six other women cited by the website, including an anonymous Australian-Chinese actress based in Beijing, who said she worked as Logan’s interpreter on the set of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Drago n: Sword of Destiny in the Chinese capital in 2015, and was the subject of explicit advances by him in a hotel room.

Another woman, also unidentified, was said to have experienced an “unpleasant” meeting with Harvey Weinstein, and claimed that Logan had “forcibly kissed her and pinned her down on the bed” in her hotel room. She eventually escaped by answering a phone call.

A separate allegation involved casting sessions in which women were required to be either half-naked or fully nude.

Addressing the reports, Logan told the website: “I definitely never forced myself on anybody, never had to force myself on anybody”, adding: “The complaints that you have … [are] the things that I tried to do, rather than anything that actually happened.”

In a later written statement Logan gave to the Post, he said: “Over the years of my adult life, I have made advances to women.

“Sometimes they were rebuffed and sometimes they were reciprocated. I have had a too-carefree attitude towards physical encounters with women. I have made inappropriate comments lightheartedly or after a few drinks.

I have had a too-carefree attitude towards physical encounters with women ... I have made mistakes for which I can’t forgive myself BEY LOGAN

“I now see I was wrong and I have made mistakes for which I can’t forgive myself, and must live with them. I regret that any action I might have taken could have caused distress to anyone.

“I was insensitive because my position and the industry’s culture had allowed me to consider my behaviour then acceptable.”

On Weinstein himself, Logan said: “Like everyone else who worked at or with The Weinstein Company, I have been shocked at the alleged behaviour of Harvey Weinstein towards women. “Throughout the years I have known Harvey, I have not witnessed, nor did anyone describe to me any details of, alleged sexual assaults.

“Looking back, I should have been more vigilant and could have done more to protect the women who were placed in a vulnerable situation.”

Logan added that he wanted to “take this opportunity to express my regret for the hurt and embarrassment caused to my family and friends”.

This is just to include this on the Busted Martial Artists thread but I'll be monitor it on the Open Secret: Hollywood thread.