The MMA coach had allegedly sexually exploited a female youth during training sessions dating as far back to 2016.
A mixed martial arts coach from Pitt Meadows, British Columbia has been charged with two counts of sexually exploiting a minor during training sessions.
The charges were announced by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (PCMP), which began its investigation in October 2021 after receiving information that an MMA coach had allegedly sexually exploited a female youth during training sessions dating as far back to 2016.
The RCMP also collected witness statements which suggested that the accused was involved with other female gym members and that he also taught group self-defence classes throughout the Pitt Meadows community.
Following the investigation, the B.C. Prosecution Service approved the charges against 34-year-old Danyal Bahramfar (aka Daniel Golkar). A photo of the accused was released last week, which according to Corporal Julie Klaussner with the Ridge Meadows RCMP, was done in an “effort to locate further witnesses and individuals who may have information.”
Bahramfar was the head coach at Scorpion Combat Sports, an MMA gym in Pitt Meadow that was home to 17 competitive fighters, including Tristan Connelly, whom he cornered during the Canadian’s shocking upset against Michel Pereira when the UFC came to Vancouver in 2019. He also cornered Jeremy Kennedy during his upset win against Rony Jason at a UFC event in Brazil in 2017.
Bahramfar is still featured on the gym’s homepage but has been removed from the list of instructors.