The case against Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach Melqui Galvão has widened considerably. On Tuesday, May 26, authorities in Amazonas arrested Enoque Galvão, a civil police investigator and Melqui’s brother, on suspicion of SA of a vulnerable person, s3xual harassment, and psychological violence against adolescents.
According to Amazonas state deputy Alessandra Campêlo, the alleged new accusers are former students from an academy in Manaus’ North Zone, and the case is proceeding under a judicial seal of secrecy.
Enoque’s arrest, however, goes beyond the accusations tied to the academy. Investigators also allege he played a direct role in allowing his incarcerated brother to communicate with the young women who had already given statements to police.
He is accused of smuggling a cellphone into the Dom Pedro precinct in Manaus’ Centro-Oeste district, where Melqui was being held in early May. According to the investigation, the device reached Melqui’s hands on May 2, a date that coincided with Enoque being officially on annual leave from his duties.
What followed became the subject of its own investigation. Brazilian media and authorities have reported that Melqui used that phone to place video calls to former students connected to his BJJ College project, with leaked footage appearing to show him speaking to athletes from inside the detention facility.
The calls reportedly ran longer than 20 minutes and allegedly contained attempts to reassure, persuade, and pressure those on the other end into revising the accounts they had already given to investigators. In exchange for more favorable versions of events, Melqui reportedly offered financial support and academy-related benefits.
Once the cellphone allegations surfaced, authorities moved quickly. Melqui was transferred from Manaus to São Paulo on the night of May 7, and a São Paulo court subsequently ordered his preventive detention, removing any near-term possibility of release while proceedings continue.
The Amazonas Civil Police confirmed that Enoque had already been placed on precautionary administrative leave before his arrest and would remain suspended until the investigation concludes. The agency also stated that the case had been referred to the General Internal Affairs office of the Public Security System for a separate administrative review.
