Bruno Formiga

Bruno Leonardo Reis de Souza, widely known within the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community as Bruno Formiga, is a black belt practitioner and academy operator based in the Tijuca neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Operating under the name "Bruno Formiga," he founded and leads Escola Bruno Formiga de Jiu-Jítsu, serving as both owner and head instructor. The Tijuca-based academy reflects the community-driven BJJ culture that has long defined Rio de Janeiro's neighborhood training scenes, where local instructors play a central role in developing practitioners from the earliest stages of their journey.

Allegations by the First Complainant

As of October 2026, two former female students have made allegations of sexual assault and harassment against Formiga, prompting an ongoing police investigation in Rio de Janeiro. The proceedings are under judicial confidentiality.

The first complainant, who was 26 years old at the time of reporting, alleges a pattern of inappropriate physical contact during training sessions, claiming that Formiga used techniques and immobilizations as cover for unwanted touching. Her most serious allegation concerns a team trip to São Paulo in May 2025, during which the team stayed in a rented house in the city's southern zone. She alleges that after Formiga became intoxicated, he assaulted her, and that the following day he purchased emergency contraception for her.

Allegations by the Second Complainant

The second complainant was 17 years old when she publicly disclosed her allegations in late August 2026. She alleges that the incidents occurred when she was 16, describing inappropriate touching during training sessions at the academy and unwanted advances by Formiga. She further alleges that when she objected, Formiga dismissed her concerns as misunderstandings or attempts at humor, and that she subsequently encountered obstacles to continuing her training and participation at the facility.

Involvement of Cauã Magalhães Amaral

Allegations also involve Cauã Magalhães Amaral, an athlete associated with the academy. A first alleged incident involving Amaral occurred in December 2025, inside the academy's women's bathroom with the door locked; according to the police report, another athlete allegedly witnessed the situation and informed the girl's father. A second alleged incident took place during a tournament trip to Portugal in January 2026. The teenager alleges that Formiga instructed her to share sleeping accommodations with Amaral and that she felt compelled to comply out of fear of professional retaliation. Her father told police he had consented to the international trip only after Formiga explicitly assured him that male and female team members would have separate sleeping arrangements.

Impact on the Teenage Complainant

The teenager's father reported to police that following these alleged events, she withdrew from social activities, refused to attend school, and developed compulsive eating behaviors, gaining approximately 22 lbs (10 kilograms) over three months. After receiving psychological treatment, she disclosed what she said had occurred, and her parents filed a police complaint in early February 2026.

Protective Measures and Legal Response

In April 2026, Judge João Zacharias de Sá of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice's First Specialized Court granted protective measures for the teenager against both Formiga and Amaral, following a favorable recommendation from the Public Prosecutor's Office. The order was issued under Brazil's Henry Borel Law, a statute designed to protect children and adolescents experiencing domestic or family violence. Under Brazilian law, such protective measures do not require proof that alleged offenses occurred and may be granted on the basis of a reported risk during an ongoing investigation. In issuing the order, Judge de Sá described it as "a measure of strictly protective scope which, from a certain perspective, also benefits the respondents themselves, by eliminating any possibility of contact that could be interpreted as a new attempt at influence, pressure or intimidation against the teenager, safeguarding her position during the investigation."

Defense Position

Attorney Pedro Santiago, representing both Formiga and Amaral, has issued a strong denial of all allegations. Santiago contends that the complainants have selectively disclosed portions of the confidential investigation while withholding evidence and witness testimony that he says support his clients' innocence. The defense disputes the characterization of Amaral as an instructor, identifying him instead as an athlete at the academy, and asserts that Amaral's relationship with the teenage complainant was consensual, with witnesses having provided supporting statements to police.

As of October 6, 2026, neither Formiga nor Amaral had been formally indicted by police or charged by prosecutors in connection with the allegations. The investigation remains ongoing and the proceedings continue under seal.