(WFSB) – The I-Team has found that a karate instructor accused of sexual assault was violating state law every time he opened the doors of his studio. Orest Markiv's sexual assault arrest was first reported last month.
Following our reporting, several parents contacted the I-Team complaining they'd lost hundreds of dollars in tuition and other fees. Markif's studios, Impact Martial Arts (IMA), in Cromwell and South Windsor, both abruptly closed following his arrest.
Victoriana Reyes and Lisette Pino's daughters, ages 8 and 9, loved learning karate at IMA.
“She's more of a tomboy. She always wanted to be like a ninja,” Pino said.
Pino showed the I-Team videos and photos from tournaments and graduations, but asked that her children's faces be blurred. Now the mother of two is struggling to explain to her daughters why they won't go back to karate class.
“My daughter came home and asked me, 'Mom, why did you stop doing karate?' I told her something bad happened and the classes were closed,” Reyes said.
IMA's owner, 32-year-old Orest Markiv, was charged with sexual assault, with an arrest report detailing an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old student spanning several months.
“This is uncomfortable because we trusted our children to be with them,” Reyes said.
Markiff is being held on $150,000 bail and is scheduled to appear again in court for a hearing in June.
After news of his arrest broke on April 17, parents received a group text that read, “In light of recent events, IMA will be cancelling classes.”
On April 22, parents received another group text that read, “IMA will remain closed indefinitely. We will be working to process refunds for monthly payments within the next 24 hours, as well as tournament entry fees.”
But as of May 17, Reyes and Pino are still waiting for their refunds.
“Nothing, no reaction from him whatsoever,” Pino said.
The mothers paid $159 for the next month's tuition, $50 for a tournament that never took place, and other expenses such as graduation fees and uniforms.
“We don't have any answers. We just want answers,” Reyes said.
As the I-Team began asking questions, Markiff's attorney told the I-Team that an accounting firm was working on calculating the refunds and that the parents should receive them within the next two weeks. The I-Team asked Markiff if he had any comment about the sexual assault allegations but did not receive a response.
There is also a state program called the Health Club Guarantee Fund if your studio suddenly closes.
“Essentially, a portion of the license fees paid by health clubs will be put into a fund that will be made available to consumers as needed when clubs are closed,” Krasselt said.
Caitlin Krasselt is a spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP).
The DCP is the body that regulates health clubs and martial arts studios.
Krasselt acknowledged that IMA was operating illegally because it did not possess a license. Krasselt said the DCP had no record of IMA ever applying for a martial arts license at either location.
“The license is not just a fee. It serves many purposes, especially when it comes to protecting the public,” Krasselt said.
Krasselt explains that health clubs and martial arts studios must be licensed, and state inspections can ensure the studios meet all health and safety requirements.
Krasselt could not comment specifically about IMA because the DCP is currently investigating the company's operations.
IMA hasn't been operating in hiding: Both studios actively promote themselves on social media, and the Cromwell location is on a main street and shares a parking lot with the police station.
The I-Team asked Krasselt whether DCP proactively checks to see if unlicensed businesses are operating or whether it enforces based on complaints.
“It's primarily complaint-based. It's a bit difficult for our team to be everywhere at once, so like many other industries that we regulate, we rely on consumer complaints to guide our enforcement actions and bring us to awareness,” Krasselt said.
Krasselt said he couldn't speculate whether IMA parents would be eligible for the guarantee fund, but that it's possible they could be eligible even if IMA Studios was unlicensed.
Both Pino and Reyes hope some sort of refund will be issued soon so their daughters can continue their love of karate somewhere else.
“My daughter still wants to go to karate class. This shouldn't stop her. I shouldn't have to do this for her,” Pino said.
Krasselt says if you find yourself in a situation where a gym or martial arts studio suddenly closes, you should first ask for a refund directly from the club.
If that doesn't resolve the issue, you can apply for a refund through the Health Club Guarantee Fund.
You will need to provide a copy of the signed contract and proof of payment.
You can also use the DCP website to check if a health club or martial arts studio has a valid state license.
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