A Winnipeg jiu-jitsu instructor has been accused of child abuse and sexual assault.
52-year-old Manuel Vladimir Ruiz was arrested recently and charged with the following:
- child abuse
- sexual interference
- obtaining sex from a person under 18
- forcible confinement
- invitation to sexual touching
- luring a child
Ruiz owns two martial arts schools in Winnipeg: Combat Jiu-Jitsu and Ronin Ryu School of Martial Arts. Police allege that Ruiz had a relationship with a “youth female” that led to incidents of sexual assault. They also allege he assaulted an adult female between 2005 and 2006.
According to police spokesperson Constable Tammy Skrabek, Ruiz used insidious means of assaulting these women:
Some of these victims were brought back to the [studio]. Some of them were offered things like free lessons. So in that respect. It’s believed there may be others who were enticed or offered or lured by him with those two abuses of authority.
The investigation is ongoing, and police are asking anyone with more information to call investigators at 204-986-3464 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).
