MMA fighter Makwan Amirkhani charged with coercion into sexual act

Finnish MMA fighter Makwan Amirkhani has been formally charged with coercion into a sexual act, according to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle. The case, filed in the District Court of Western Uusimaa in mid-March, stems from allegations linked to the 2017 filming of the reality TV show Julkkisselviytyjät (Celebrity Survivors).

Amirkhani denied the charges in an Instagram post on Friday, stating he had not committed a crime but acknowledged past “negative behaviour” during the show’s production. The exact time and location of the alleged offence remain confidential under court records.

The case gained public attention last summer when singer Mira Luoti revealed in a PMMP documentary that she had been a victim of sexual violence during the filming of an unnamed TV series. Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat later identified the programme as Julkkisselviytyjät and reported that production company Warner had apologised to Luoti for Amirkhani’s conduct, offering her €1,500 in compensation—three times her original fee—to resolve the matter privately.

Filmed in Espoo’s Nuuksio forest, the 2017 series featured Finnish celebrities paired together in a survival challenge without adequate supplies. The charge against Amirkhani falls under a former legal term, “coercion into a sexual act,” which was replaced in January 2023 by the broader offence of “sexual violation” under Finland’s revised sexual crime legislation. The change suggests the alleged incident occurred before 2023.

Amirkhani previously addressed the controversy in a 2023 Instagram post, denying any illegal actions but expressing regret for his behaviour during the filming.