Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office News Release Re: San Jose boxing instructor Tristan Arfi charged with sex assaults
November 22, 2024
For release on November 22, 2024
CONTACT:
Aidan Welsh
Deputy District Attorney
Sexual Assault Unit
(408) 792-2046
[email protected]
San Jose boxing instructor Tristan Arfi charged with sex assaults
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has charged a local boxing gym instructor with sex crimes against three women.
Tristan Arfi, 42, is the chief operating officer and manager of the boxing gym “YBX Fitness” in San Jose. Arfi is accused of committing multiple felony sex crimes against two customers and a gym employee.
Arfi, a San Jose resident, is a convicted sex offender. The defendant has a prior felony conviction from 2019 that involved lewd acts he committed against a minor while at a boxing gym in Menlo Park.
Arfi, who was arrested Thursday morning, will be arraigned on December 23, 2024, in Department 23 of the Hall of Justice in San Jose. If convicted of the seven felony counts of sexual assault, he faces years in prison.
The DA’s Bureau of Investigation is actively investigating the case and believes it is possible there may be more victims. Anyone with information related to Arfi should contact Investigator Christina Hanks at [email protected] or (408) 792-2851.
“Thanks to brave victims and the San Jose Police Department, this predator has been arrested,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “Our job as prosecutors will be to make sure he does not hurt anyone else ever again.”
During the joint investigation, SJPD and the DA BOI uncovered two victims, both of whom separately reported being the victim of sexual batteries at the hands of Arfi while at the gym. Both victims reported that Arfi offered them a free private massage. However, once each victim was alone with Arfi, both victims reported that he began to grope and caress them in a sexually inappropriate manner.
Arfi is also accused of attempted extortion against a female employee at the gym. The victim reported that Arfi refused to pay her for her work at the gym unless she agreed to send him nude photographs of herself. Employees at the gym reported that Arfi forced them to sign a non-disclosure agreement when they worked at the gym and that he would frequently threaten legal action if they discussed things they witnessed at the gym. However, non-disclosure agreements are invalid in California if they prevent a witness from disclosing information about unlawful acts in the workplace, such as harassment, discrimination, or – of course – a crime.
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