In the day following the arrest of jiu-jitsu coach Melqui Galvão, Nicholas Meregali posted a video to social media that quickly gathered over 75,000 likes. The message was direct and urgent, aimed specifically at those who may have been targeted by Galvão but have not yet come forward.
“Please, all the girls who are currently in hiding, please contact me so I can direct you to the police investigator and the lawyer handling the case, and you won’t have to live with this guilt and fear anymore. We need to unite and cleanse the world.”
Meregali explained that the lead detective and attorney on the case had reached out to him personally, believing he may be one of the few people in jiu-jitsu willing to be publicly visible on this matter. He described his role plainly, a bridge between those who have been harassed and the legal professionals pursuing the case. The scale of what remains unreported, he suggested, is significant.
“From what I understood, more than 50% of the people who had various other names did not have the courage to testify because they lived under constant threats.”
He spoke directly to anyone who has since relocated or gone into hiding:
“If you are one of those people who was harassed and who today is a target and is in hiding, who had to change cities, who had to change countries, as apparently some of the cases are, rest easy knowing that the detective and the lawyer are at the front of this case.”
Meregali also acknowledged that his own witness in a previous legal matter faced grave threats and was ultimately forced to remove their name from the proceedings, framing it not as an isolated incident but as a recognizable pattern connected to those around the Galvão family.
“That’s the standard. These things that happen are standard. I know that you as well will face this. So feel free, send a DM, I will connect you with the detective on the case and the lawyer on the case.”
His involvement carries particular weight given the history between Meregali and this family. Mica Galvão, the son of Melqui Galvão, filed four lawsuits against Meregali, both civil and crim inal, after Meregali publicly accused the young competitor of using PEDs.
The context surrounding the Galvão family has now shifted dramatically. Melquisedeque de Lima Galvão Ferreira, 47, widely known as Melqui Galvão, was taken into custody in Manaus on April 28. The investigation began in São Paulo after a 17-year-old athlete reported alleged misconduct that took place during a jiu-jitsu competition in Italy. As investigators widened their inquiry, two additional young women were identified, one reportedly just 12 years old at the time of the alleged incidents.
The case file includes an audio recording in which Galvão appears to indirectly acknowledge the allegations, along with messages investigators have described as evidence of his attempts to discourage the family from pursuing legal action.
Beyond his role as a coach, Galvão holds a tenured position as an investigator with the Amazonas Civil Police, a detail that complicated the initial arrest. Officers executing three search and seizure warrants in Jundiaí could not locate him because he had already traveled to Amazonas. He ultimately surrendered to Amazonas Civil Police on the night of April 27. His institutional standing means formal removal from the agency cannot happen automatically and requires either a judicial ruling or the conclusion of an administrative proceeding. The agency has since suspended him from active duties and opened a Disciplinary Administrative Proceeding through its Internal Affairs Office.
BJJ College, the school network Galvão led, issued a statement confirming his removal from leadership. Mica Galvão and Diogo Reis will jointly assume leadership responsibilities while legal proceedings continue, with the school’s activities carrying on under its existing team of instructors. The statement noted that the matter is being handled exclusively through legal channels and that no further public comment would be issued until authorities complete their review.
Craig Jones also circulated contact information for the 8th Women’s Defense Police Station in São Paulo, urging anyone with knowledge of the case to come forward. The station can be reached by email at [email protected]
or by phone at +55 11 2742-1701. Jones emphasized that the detectives have approached the investigation with professionalism and that every additional report could help others find the resolve to step forward.
Meregali closed his video on a note that was both reflective and grim. He acknowledged the risks of speaking publicly, noted that media outlets he contacted during his own legal ordeal had reportedly been threatened into silence and expressed hope that no one involved would face further harm.
“I hope everything gets resolved, I hope no one else receives a () threat, I hope no one passes away, however there are chances.”
