Vernon Vanzile Arrested Again for Another Sex Crime Against a Juvenile

The presence of fake instructors in martial arts communities indeed poses a significant danger, especially to unsuspecting students and the broader integrity of martial arts. While legitimate black belts and experienced practitioners may be able to recognize and avoid fraudulent instructors, those new or less discerning can suffer physical harm.

There are significant dangers posed by fake instructors, especially when they prey on vulnerable populations such as children and women. Their fraudulent claims and criminal backgrounds can put students at serious physical danger and risk.

Back in 2017, I did an article that exposed Vernon Isaac Van Zile III.  Vanzile then 36 years old, falsely claimed to be a judo competitor, a MMA fighter, and a Brazilian Jiujitsu Instructor among other things. 

Vanzile was able to "set up shop" online through aliases and through fake reviews from social media accounts that he made. He used these online aliases to make up good reviews and fabricate a good reputation for himself in the fitness and martial arts industries. 

Vanzile taught his classes out of the garage of his home and he catered his business toward women and children. Vanzile had several Social media accounts facebook, twitter, youtube, daily motion alot of which Vanzile didn't use his real name. One alias was "Kiru Tajikara". He called his "business" KAY O PRO MMA out of Corning NY. Amoung his twitter accounts were @Kay_o_mma, and another twitter account was @MyOwnFitness1.

Vanzile had posted videos and  pictures online of himself rolling around on a wrestling mat, in his garage, with underage girls (see pictures below) and advertising on social media under an alias, MMA girl. 

However unbeknownst to his students and clients, Vanzile was hiding a criminal record. He was a convicted level 3 sex offender, who had been convicted years earlier of sodomizing a juvenile.  

Sexual offenders are classified in "Categories", "Levels" or Tiers. The numeral designation of 3 is always the highest level of threat. Meaning that they are predatory.  They have used violence in their crimes. There is a high risk of danger that they will re offend. They have been convicted of sexual crimes in the past.

Vanzile was not allowed to be around children and was supposed to be registering as a sex offender for the rest of his life. He had failed to register on multiple occasions. Nor was he allowed to set up social media accounts.

The police were notified and Vanzile was arrested at his home on December 19th 2017. As a level 3 registered sex offender, Vanzile was charged with failing to register or verify as a sex offender and failure to notify DCJS of change of Internet or Internet identifiers, both of which are felonies. The arrest was covered live by a local news station. 

https://web.archive.org/web/20180620145953/http://13wham.com/news/local/deputies-level-3-sex-offender-advertised-to-teach-martial-arts-in-home 

This past November, Vernon I. Vanzile III now 43, made his local news again. He was arrested and charged with second-degree strangulation (a class D felony), first-degree unlawful imprisonment (a class E felony), third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (a class D felony), attempted predatory sexual assault against a child (a class A-I felony), first-degree attempted rape (a class C felony), first-degree attempted criminal sexual act (a class C felony), and first-degree sexual abuse (a class D felony) in connection to both reports.

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, Corning City Police received a complaint concerning a domestic incident that occurred during the morning hours of Nov. 18. Police said during this investigation, it was alleged that Vanzile held a female victim against her will inside a home and proceeded to impede the victim’s ability to breathe by placing a pillow over her face.

During the domestic case investigation, a separate criminal complaint came to be known involving a juvenile, police said. Members of the City of Corning Police Department then conducted a second investigation. 

This investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly engaged in both sexual contact and communication with a 12-year-old juvenile.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/corning-man-charged-strangulation-imprisonment-200945498.html

https://www.mytwintiers.com/crime/corning-sex-offender-faces-attempted-rape-sexual-abuse-charges/

Vanzile was arraigned in Corning City Court on the charges that evolved from the second investigation involving the 12-year-old juvenile. 

Vanzile is currently being held in jail. Supposedly, as a level 3 sex offender, Vanzile’s latest crimes will involve serious prison time. 

So You’re Playing Martial Arts Instructor?

 The Rise of the “Master” Illusion

If you have been in the martial arts long enough you have seen the young and poorly out of shape instructor who exaggerates his abilities,  claims he knows better than the rest of us and that everyone is jealous of what he can do. 

So, ask yourself one question; Why would an in shape martial arts instructor who has trained hard for years be jealous of a guy who is sadly out of shape and performs poorly on the mats? 

The Answer is he wouldn't be jealous of a single thing. He certainly isn't jealous of certificates that were bought and weren't earned. 

Every decade has its share of martial impostors, but today’s digital culture makes it easier than ever for frauds to thrive. The internet, social media, and manufactured organizations let almost anyone play the part of master, grandmaster, kaiso or soke. These fake instructors cling to invented titles, buy rank from anyone that will sell it to them, purchase fake certificates, and use ornate websites or social profiles to sell an image they have not earned.​ 

The Tactics of Fake Instructors

Phony instructors tend to follow predictable patterns:

• They fabricate credentials and invent lineages without proof or verifiable record.​
• They discourage questions, put down other schools, makes claims that everyone else is jealous of them, and quickly become defensive when probed about their background.​
• Some demand blind loyalty and create cult-like environments, isolating students to protect their secrets.​
• Flashy but unrealistic demonstrations replace real sparring or live training, focusing on “secret techniques” or “one-touch knockouts”, claiming to teach things “no one Knows or teaches anymore” most o the stuff has no real basis in reality.​
• Excessive focus on belt promotions, exaggerated fees, and constant upselling are common—these instructors chase money more than knowledge or skill development.​
• They refuse to get on the mats with anyone or if they do they perform poorly and are immediately embarrassed.

The Risks and Real-World Harm

The threat posed by fake instructors is not just to reputation, but to safety, psychology, and the overall community:

• Students risk injury from unsafe, untested techniques and foolish training methods.​​
• False confidence endangers students who may try to defend themselves based on stage-managed techniques.​
• Worse still, when abuse or misconduct goes unchecked, legitimate instructors and organizations lose credibility by association, making it harder for real teachers to build trust.​
• By promoting fraudulent success, these instructors rob both their students and themselves of real progress, undermining respect for hard-earned skill throughout the wider martial arts scene.​

How to Spot a Pretender

Identifying a phony martial arts teacher requires vigilance:

• Ask for lineage and credentials—real instructors can point to teachers, organizations, and a verifiable history.​
• Look for sparring, competition, and pressure testing as core aspects of the curriculum, not just rehearsed demonstrations.​
• Be wary of anyone who avoids independent verification.​
• Evaluate the instructor’s students —are they competent.  
• Is the instructor respected outside their own gym?​ Or Does he laim eeryone is jealous of him and his accomplishments? 
• Do other school’s, organization’s recognize or accept his student and his or her ranks?

 

Why Standing Up Against Frauds and Pretenders Matters

The martial arts community has begun fighting back, exposing fakes through social media, independent investigation, and groups devoted to shining a light on deceptive individuals and organizations. Doing so is not about gatekeeping—it’s about restoring trust, keeping students safe, and respecting the legacy of the arts themselves. Upholding authenticity ensures the next generation receives the genuine benefits—personal growth, skill, and confidence—that real training can deliver.​​

Conclusion: The Real Mark of an Instructor

To martial artists everywhere: keep asking questions, demand proof, and help lift the standards for the arts you love.

Playing the part of a martial arts instructor is easy; earning it is not. The true test is not in a certificate, uniform, or online following, but in one’s actual training, history, one’s students, and the ability to demonstrate, teach and execute under both pressure and scrutiny. Real instructors can execute what they teach they don't have issues when on the mats against peers and have no issues with scrutiny or independent verification. 

To those “playing” instructor, know that in a time of growing exposure, truth and accountability win out. 

My Identity Is Not Defined by Martial Arts

In the martial arts community, I’ve witnessed many types of practitioners—some genuine, some driven by a true passion for self-development and defense. 

But I have also come across a troubling phenomenon: the fake martial artist. The fraud.

Indeed this blog covers such individuals. These individuals build their entire identity on lies, inflated claims, and false credentials. Their whole existence depends on maintaining an illusion, a carefully constructed persona that masks a lack of true skill and character.

Over the years, I have seen many practitioners fall victim to the illusion of rank inflation and false claims. I’ve witnessed how these toxic dynamics poison schools, confuse students, and erode the credibility of martial arts itself. I hae seen these so caalled instructors attempt to steal entire lineages, form bogus organizations and even attempt to hijack them. 

For years, these types have assumed that my identity, too, is inseparable from my martial arts background or status. What they don’t understand is this: my martial arts accomplishments do not define me, they never have. 

Martial arts is an important part of my life, for decades it has shaped my physical conditioning, honed my mental discipline, and grounded my spirit in principles of hard work, effort and perseverance. I am an 8th-degree black belt in Kajukenbo Kenpo Karate, a 5th-degree in Judo, and a 3rd-degree in Shotokan. These are not simply ranks; they represent years of hard training, study, and real combat experience. 

These ranks do not confine me. They are markers along a path, not the path itself.

Long before I learned martial arts I was fighting. I grew up in a tough neighborhood and as one can imagine I went through what one goes through when raised in tough neighborhoods.

You can take away my ranks but you still have a fighter on your hands. Even before I was a martial artist. I could beat the shit out of a fake black belt or some candy ass wannabe with inflated rank. 

Certificates never made the man and still don’t.

Unlike the counterfeit instructors and rank seekers I’ve encountered, I don’t have to cling to these credentials to prove who I am. I don’t have to train every day to maintain my worth, nor do I have to teach or parade my accomplishments to earn respect. I don’t hae write aanother word on the subject of the martial arts arts. My identity is grounded in far deeper soil than Judo, karate, black belts and certificates.

One stark difference between a genuine martial artist and a fake one is how each relates to their achievements. The fake martial artist fears exposure, because their identity is brittle, forged from deception. They need everyone to see their ranks as proof of legitimacy, or else their entire persona crumbles. On the other hand, I have the strength and freedom to take what martial arts has given me and still remain unshaken if that all were stripped away. I can take it or leave it because I know that what truly defines me is not external recognition but internal integrity and authenticity.

I am more than my martial arts achievements. I am the sum of my truth. And that is something no one, no fake ass wannabe or rank seeking pussy, who cant fight their way out of a wet paper sack, can ever take from me.

Martial arts is a tool. It is a powerful, transformative tool that teaches one how to move, how to think, how to respond under pressure, but it’s not who I am. My identity goes beyond striking techniques, throws, and forms. It is built on my character and the choices I make every day.

In a world plagued by misinformation and false idols, knowing who you are beneath all external labels is the ultimate form of resilience. The confidence to stand apart from counterfeit claims and remain true to yourself is a rare and invaluable power. I live by that power every day.