Leandro Marçal, from Blind Marriage, denies rape and says family received death threats

Leandro Marçal, from the Netflix program Casamento às Cegas Brasil, made a video last Friday night (20) taking a stand against the rape accusation he suffered from his ex-wife, Ingrid Santa Rita, whom he met on the reality show.

The post was made on Instagram. Leandro said that the program did not have a good outcome for him. His delay in appearing and talking about the subject, according to him, was due to threats that his family received.

“It took me a while because both I and my family were receiving threats. I was trying to protect myself and my family, mainly. That’s why it took me a while to make this statement, which is fully structured. There is a legal team that is helping me,” he says.

“This accusation is very serious, it has to be treated seriously. I can’t do what the person did. Come here and keep talking, talking, talking and talking. It’s a very serious accusation,” he comments.

Leandro said he has already given a statement to the São Paulo Civil Police, which has opened an investigation into the case. Also in the video, the former reality show participant thanked everyone for the messages of support he has received.

I’m not a person who comes here and acts on impulse. I’m a cautious, quiet person. These are very serious accusations that have no basis whatsoever. And I can prove it,” he adds.

Remember the case

Ingrid and Leandro got married during the show. In the reunion episode, aired on July 10, the architect hinted that she had been abused by her husband at home after the wedding. A day later, the contestant went on social media and verbalized the rape accusation.

In a video posted on Instagram, she claims that the personal trainer had erectile problems. “The rape, that’s the word, started happening when I talked to him. Leandro waited for me to fall asleep to try to solve the problem. In his head, if he could have sex with me, we wouldn’t have any more problems, but he forgot that he needed to tell me, it needed to be consensual,” she said.

The São Paulo Civil Police opened an investigation into the case. According to the Public Security Department, the case was registered as rape of a vulnerable person, psychological violence against women and domestic violence at the Women’s Defense Department in Osasco.

O F5 contacted Netflix, which did not comment on Marçal’s statement until the publication of this report.