Money complicates a lot of things. And for fighters, these troubles are way more prominent as they have a long list of people that the money goes through before reaching them. With that said, Jessica Andrade, the former UFC strawweight champion, is suing her ex-coach, Gilliard Parana, for allegedly swiping a cool $2 million.
Andrade trusted Parana with her finances for over a decade. She handed over the reins at 21, probably thinking she would hit the jackpot. Little did she know, her pot of gold was apparently being raided. Now, at 32, Andrade’s facing a different kind of fight as she has swapped her gloves for legal briefs, taking the battle to U.S. courts.
“We have a lawsuit going about TransferWise …I trusted him. He removed my access to the account. He said, ‘You don’t need to look at your accounts, you’ll have a monthly salary…He said I was shopping too much on Amazon, but with the investigation and all that, [we saw that] I made $2 million and spent $10,000 on Amazon. Where did the rest of the money go?” said Andrade via MMA Fighting.
Andrade is not just crying foul. Now, at 32 years old, her retirement plans have gone up in smoke. She is back in the cage, fighting to recoup her losses. Meanwhile, Parana has gone back to Brazil amid the investigations.
It’s a stark reminder that not all battles happen in the octagon. Sometimes, the toughest fights are with those we trust most. The legal slugfest will most likely continue, serving as a cautionary tale for fighters everywhere.
Jessica Andrade’s Ex-Coach Gilliard Parana Responds To These Accusations
Gilliard Parana, former coach of UFC star Andrade, is throwing verbal haymakers. He’s responding to accusations levied by her former student, who claimed that Parana embezzled a cool $2 million from her.
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But Parana isn’t taking these accusations lying down. He has come out swinging with his own response. He insisted Andrade had full access to her accounts and was no financial rookie.
“Anyone who has a brain and knows how to do math will see that she really doesn’t spend her money on just a few purchases on Amazon. She has a lot of expenses. Jessica is not a 15-year-old girl. Jessica was never forbidden from going to the bank, from calling the bank, and from finding out how her accounts were,“ said Parana via MMA Fighting.
Parana painted Jessica Andrade as a big spender. He further defended his own career, boasting of his success with multiple UFC fighters. As this drama unfolds, one thing’s clear: the fight game isn’t just about what happens in the octagon.
Also Read: UFC Strawweight Champ Jessica Andrade Robbed At Gunpoint In Brazil
