2nd degree BJJ black belt, Kru Ric Sniffen.

**JasoninTimmins** · Posted On: 3/30/2007 9:26pm

"I think it's time to invite Kru Sniffen to join us on this thread, don't you?"

Or at least someone from the USMTA. They're a legit national muay thai org, and they seem to have inadvertently gotten into bed with "Kru" Sniffen.

**debstay** · Posted On: 3/31/2007 1:48am

Ric Sniffen also claims to have been a former Texhoma Police officer - but that was certainly news to Texhoma Police Chief Wayne Hoffman.....

Mr Sniffen was also recently involved in some publicity surrounding the abduction of a little girl in Texhoma named Marissa Graham. He is teaching her martial arts. Anyway, he wrote a lengthy piece on the web about how she kicked her way out of her abductor's vehicle, which wasn't accurate (her abductor actually released her) -- but in essence, Mr Sniffen was trying to take credit for her escape because he allegedly taught her how to kick.... I definitely think he has embellished his various web postings about his martial arts experience & background. I am just an internet researcher who studies child abductions, and that's how I ran across all his info. I saw this site & decided to post....Thanks for listening.

Here's his posting on the abduction:

http://www.usmta.com/A-HERO-AT-ANY-AGE.htm

**Don Gwinn** · Posted On: 3/31/2007 8:40am

Debstay, welcome to the conversation. Who are you and do you know Mr. Sniffen?

Thanks for that link in any case. . . the page as a whole is saved to my hard drive in case it changes.

The assertion you mention appears to come from the "Story by Terri Cotta," not from Sniffen, but that's all the attribution I could find. Do you know whether Terri Cotta wrote this story for a newspaper in the area or for Sniffen and USMTA? If Sniffen was only copying and pasting the story, he could be forgiven for including that detail with it even if it's incorrect. Newspaper reporters are notorious for gleefully refusing to check facts. The piece is also very badly written, which again is not that surprising in most newspapers, but the misuse and lack of quotation marks would be strange from a professional reporter.

Originally Posted by USMTA Web Page "A HERO AT ANY AGE"

An eyewitness saw the girl about 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The witness saw a man reading a book with the girl nearby. The witness said the man left and came back about 10 to 15 minutes later, then drove off in a white car. On Friday January 19th, 2007 at 3:30 pm MST in the City of Clovis, New Mexico, young Marrisa escaped from her kidnapper by kicking open the trunk of the vehicle she was being held in after her kidnapper stopped at a convenience store for gas, and running up to the store clerk screaming her name and that she had been kidnapped officials said. She took the opportunity to bolt from the car and into the convenience store and identified herself as the girl everyone was looking for and give the telephone number for the Texhoma Police Department. The suspect is described as a white male, 35-40 years of age with facial hair, a pasty complexion, and possibly brown hair, according to a press release from the Clovis, N.M., Police Department. The vehicle Marissa Graham escaped from is described as a purple, four-door van or SUV, which police are currently seeking. Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to call the Clovis Police Department at (505) 769-1921. Mike Boring, the district attorney for the Oklahoma Panhandle, told FOX News around 3:45 p.m. EST that officials are "very thrilled" with the outcome of the case.

This would be a minor point in any case--an instructor who's proud and happy that a young student escaped. At most, it's a little disgusting how they used the incident to pimp their classes, but if they honestly believed that her training contributed to her escape, then I can see it.
I don't see believing in a 10-year-old kicking open the rear door of any modern van or SUV in normal condition, although I had a Bronco once that was so rusted out that it probably would have been possible. I'm picturing my 10-year-old boys kicking open the rear door of our mini-van, and I don't see it.

**sochin101** · Posted On: 3/31/2007 4:57pm

Originally Posted by Don Gwinn

The assertion you mention appears to come from the "Story by Terri Cotta," not from Sniffen, but that's all the attribution I could find. Do you know whether Terri Cotta wrote this story for a newspaper in the area or for Sniffen and USMTA? If Sniffen was only copying and pasting the story, he could be forgiven for including that detail with it even if it's incorrect. Newspaper reporters are notorious for gleefully refusing to check facts. The piece is also very badly written, which again is not that surprising in most newspapers, but the misuse and lack of quotation marks would be strange from a professional reporter.

Probably the cynic in me, but doesn't Terri Cotta sound a lot like terracotta?
I'm willing to bet that Terri Cotta doesn't exist as a "real" person... and the story probably come from a source much closer to Sniffen.

Is there any way of checking whether this "Terri Cotta" is a real person with the newspaper, or a professional body or something?

I did google the name and came up with this:
http://www.usmta.com/Theeeere_baaaaack.htm
http://www.usmta.com/gladiators_conquest.htm

As you can see, both USMTA.com stories.

**Arclight** · Posted On: 4/01/2007 3:34am

Checked with the TX Dept of Licensing and Regulation, Combative Sports Division. The boxing commission in TX has never had anybody by the last name of Sniffen compete in any regulated event.

So, Sniffen has not competed in any pro boxing events in TX. Could have competed amateur, could have competed in a different state.

**JasoninTimmins** · Posted On: 4/01/2007 3:47pm

As previously suggested, has anyone emailed Sniffen ( or the USMTA ) the link to this thread yet? An earlier poster said he replied to email in what sounded like a fairly forthcoming manner, it'd be great to clue him into this discussion being held at his expense and see what he has to say for himself...

**Don Gwinn** · Posted On: 4/02/2007 6:46pm

Sent to pontaweecamp@yahoo.com :

Kru Sniffen:
You might remember that I wrote to you last month asking about the USMTA's Native American Muay Thai program and your BJJ lineage. A discussion of your biography is ongoing at http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=52332 and several questions have been raised.

Among them:
* It is proving difficult to verify your lineage through Benedict Bastes. It would be very helpful if you could provide contact information for Mr. Bastes, as we have been unable to find him.
* One of our members contacted Anthony Lin at Fairtex, and Mr. Lin says that he does not know you and that he is not an instructor.
* Many of us who train in BJJ question how you were able to go from not mentioning BJJ in 2001 biographies to a 2nd-degree black belt in 2006. It took my last instructor over ten years to earn his first-degree black.

You are welcome to join the discussion. Registration is free. Bullshido.net is dedicated to the improvement of martial arts through exposing fraud, trickery and marketing hyperbole.

Quick definitions:
Bullshido-- Fraud, dishonest marketing or false claims made by martial artists and instructors.

McDojo-- A martial arts school devoted only to making as much profit as possible, generally by throwing everything difficult or painful about fighting out the window in an effort to attract children and wannabes.

Sincerely,

Don Gwinn
(Real name and Bullshido username)

**Don Gwinn** · Posted On: 4/04/2007 6:24am

Got two replies from Kru Sniffen. Here's the first:

Originally Posted by Ric Wu on 4/2/07

Gwinn

1st of all I NEVER made any claim as to being a student of anyone from FAIRTEX in my application process I wrote a letter stating that Anthony had INVITED me to Join the USMTF
and that is how I know of Anthony and thats the only way I know of him.
2nd if I knew how to contact Benedict Bastos I would still be in contact with him, when he left for Florida, it was during both of our divorces from our wives. He left to try and get away from his as I did we had been in touch shortly after he left but then we just quit writing to each other. Also my Black Belt in Jiu Jitsu is in Tanaka Ryu. Benedict was a friend and I did not question him regarding his background in what he called BJJ I know that he did not ever claim any connection to the Gracies, and Nor do I his method of Jiu Jitsu was nothing like the Gracies system I know of several people who train in Gracie JiuJitsu and have even had some of my own students train during some seminars at a friends school.

If you all question your friends about everything they say or do thats up to you I DO NOT and I don't feel that it is nesseccary too. I take people at what they say and can do, I know that Benedict was a great ground fighter where did he learn it I do not know for a fact I wasn't there when he trained. As far as my background I don't tell people anything they don't ask for. I have all the rrespect in the world for true martial artist and their arts. Its sad that there are people out there with so much free time on their hands looking to judge others.

I wish you all the luck in the world in finding Benedict Bastos, if you do find him please give him my email address as its been a long time since we've written one another. As for the fact that I stated I have a 2nd dg black belt in BJJ that is what Benedict Bastos put on the small certificate he gave me in recognition of rank already received I also award the 2nd dg black belt is exactly what he wrote on the back of the certificate.

Sincerely,
Kru Ric Sniffen

Boil it down to this:
1. Either he was lying about Lin before or he's lying now. If I were forced to make a bet at this point I'd bet both.
2. As predicted, he will now backpedal and claim that he was claiming a black belt in "Tanaka Ryu"--isn't that his ninjutsu style, not even Japanese Ju Jitsu? WTF?
3. Benedict Bastes lied to him! What a bastes . . . bastage . . . . whatever.
4. Even if Benedict Bastes is not at fault for Kru Ric claiming he has a BJJ black, it won't matter, because you can't find him since he got divorced.

I fear the entertainment value is going to be diminished if it's going to be this predictable. I believe several posters predicted more or less this exact reply.

Anyway, I haven't read the second reply yet, so let's see what it says.

**Don Gwinn** · Posted On: 4/04/2007 7:00am

OK, I've read the next one. I call this the "Jones Gambit" after Soke Mylemu Jones of Comba-Tai, but I must say, this guy does it well. Maybe a little over-dramatic. Keep in mind that he took roughly 24 hours between these e-mails, so I'm guessing some thought went into this one:

Originally Posted by Ric Wu on 4/3/07

Don

During your search for Benedict you might want to try to locate his wife who was his student before they were married she would be able to tell you all about him and his background or my training with him her name was /is Barbara Bastos her maiden name was Botts I know that I have tried to find her in the past but found 3-4 people with that name but not her.

I another thing I don't know if you know is I do not teach anything that was taught to me by benedict I do not offer classes in BJJ or any other form of grappling, my ground fighting comes from Muay Chao Cherk. When I was taught by Benedict it was because he could not pay for the classes at Mr. Viet Nguyen classes where I taught Mr. Nguyen would permit 2-3 of my friends to train for free so thats how me and Benedict got together he taught me and I in exchange taughht him.

As far as backing a profit off the martial arts my classes that I currently instruct are FREE of Charge and offered to children of broken or abused homes or children who's parents are drug and alcohol abusers and in prison and leave their kids to fend for themselves. I take about a $1800.00 a year loss out of my pocket to buy them uniforms totrain in or gloves plus my wife donates another $1200 out of her pocket to these kids. We are not making anything we do it because NOBODY ELSE WILL, nobody else cares and the Martial Arts are just what these kids need some form of discipline and normal lifestyle to help them to become productive and not like their parents. I do it because I love the martial arts and want to see something good come from it.

Sincerely,
Ric Sniffen

If you sincerely thought you were a 2nd black in BJJ, and you were a martial arts instructor, and yet you did not teach BJJ . . . . that would be a crying shame akin to peeing on and around an original Van Gogh.

Now, in my mind, the question is--how do I get this guy to post here instead of sending me a daily email? I don't care to be his spirit medium.

Also, it's probably time to contact someone higher up in the USMTA. Several here have stated that the USMTA is legit; however, Kru Ric clearly is not.

**Don Gwinn** · Posted On: 4/04/2007 7:18am

Actually, is it even possible to reach a black belt rank in any legitimate BJJ school without instructing BJJ? That sounds impossible to me.
Anyway, I sent him this. If he continues to reply by email, I'm going to reply only with the URL of this thread.

Originally Posted by Don Gwinn

Sir:

Thank you for your prompt responses. I would suggest again that you check out http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t52332 and see the questions for yourself. I am posting your emails there, but answering such questions at one remove is difficult at best and frankly not fair to you.

I do indeed question my instructors. I know that my instructor is a member in good standing of the Gracie Barra family of schools because he was recruited to run an academy in our town by established martial artists. I also know that he has Carlos Jr.'s blessing to teach because I've seen his postings to the Gracie Barra central website announcing his new academy. I know his ground fighting is effective because the school's fighters became much more dominant and started winning by submission more often in MMA matches, and I know he has vale tudo experience because the school's former head instructor, a blue belt, checked into that part of his background while in Brazil.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that someone who thinks he was awarded a 2nd degree black belt in BJJ should have asked the instructor about his qualifications. At the very least you should be able to tell us who his instructor is.

Your biography page at the USMTA website ( http://www.usmta.com/Ric%20Sniffen.htm ) absolutely does make the claim that you studied under Mr. Lin, by the way, and it does NOT say that he invited you to join anything. Also, member Arclight, an MMA/kickboxing promoter in Texas, states that Mr. Lin did not recognize either your name or your picture. Here's what the USMTA web page says:
"He also studied Muay Thai at Fairtex Muay Thai under instructor Anthony Lin."

Again, I invite you to join the conversation.

Don Gwinn