Dec 14, 2024

Sound of Freedom’s Tim Ballard Denies Allegations Made in Sexual Misconduct Lawsuits

by Nadia El-Yaouti | Oct 17, 2023
Tim Ballard standing in front of a promotional backdrop for the film "Sound of Freedom." Photo Source: The Guardian via Fred Hayes/Getty Images for Angel Studios

Tim Ballard, a former homeland security officer and the filmmaker behind the wildly popular movie Sound of Freedom, is now facing his own allegation of sexual misconduct made by women who worked alongside him during his sex trafficking rescue operations.

At least two lawsuits have been filed against Ballard. The first lawsuit represents five women who accuse Ballard of sexual misconduct during their time working with him on his globally celebrated sex-trafficking operations. The second, newly filed lawsuit, represents a woman who worked with Ballard and her husband. The two accuse Ballard of inflicting harm and are seeking “punitive damages against all defendants in an amount sufficient to punish them and to deter them and others in similar situations from engaging in such conduct in the future.” The woman says Ballard's misconduct with her caused undo strife in her marriage among other damages.

The now seven victims are represented by Suzette Rasmussen. Rasmussen shares that it is likely more plaintiffs will come forward with similar accusations.

Tim Ballard rose to national fame after his hit movie took a close look at the business of sex trafficking young children to South America. The film was heavily based on Ballard’s own life experiences which Ballard says was dedicated to protecting and saving children from sex trafficking operations. Ballard is also the founder of the non-profit organization, Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R).

The five plaintiffs in the first lawsuit accuse Ballard of sexual misconduct, spiritual manipulation, and other tactics that resulted in him engaging in unwanted sexual behaviors with his victims. Using these tactics, the plaintiffs say Ballard took advantage of them during sting operations to save trafficked children.

The women say that Ballard used “the couples ruse” to engage in sexual misconduct with his victims. During missions aimed at stopping sex trafficking operations, Ballard and a female operative would pretend to be a couple so as to stay undercover. Ballard would allegedly use the undercover status as a way to take advantage of the women.

The lawsuit says that in the beginning, Ballard, who is a Mormon, established and followed a strict set of rules during the undercover operation to ensure an appropriate relationship unfolded between him and his undercover “wife.” Among the rules were "no kissing on the lips and no touching or exposing of private parts.” Over time, however, the lawsuit says that Ballard disregarded the rules, making way and setting up the stage for sexual misconduct to occur.

The complaint details one specific incident in which Ballard "engaged in a ploy where he would tell the women that if they were offered alcohol, which is forbidden by the Mormon church, that she should take the drink and then open mouth, kiss him and spit the alcohol in his mouth, and then he would spit it out when the traffickers weren't looking."

The complaint also accuses Ballard of pressuring his victims to shower and share a bed with him to keep up their appearance of being a married couple. In some cases, Ballard purportedly coerced his victims into sexual acts in order “to maintain the appearance of a romantic relationship at all times" so that sex traffickers would not become suspicious of their relationship.

Because many of Ballard's alleged victims were also Mormon, Ballard is accused of using their spiritual beliefs to coerce, influence, and eventually engage in sexual misconduct with his women.

Ballard’s non-profit O.U.R. has also been accused of knowing about the sexual misconduct allegations but doing nothing to remedy them. Ballard eventually resigned this past summer from the organization he founded.

In addition to the sexual misconduct against his victims, Ballard is accused of using funds from his non-profit to pay for strip club visits in the Salt Lake Valley and pay for lap dance, alcohol, and pills, among other misappropriation of funds.

Ballard broke his silence last month over the claims saying, “As with all of the assaults on my character and integrity over many years, the latest tabloid-driven sexual allegations are false. They are baseless inventions designed to destroy me and the movement we have built to end the trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable children."

The non-profit O.U.R. has also shared in a statement reported on by national news outlets that it "categorically denies the allegations as they relate to O.U.R."

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Nadia El-Yaouti
Nadia El-Yaouti
Nadia El-Yaouti is a postgraduate from James Madison University, where she studied English and Education. Residing in Central Virginia with her husband and two young daughters, she balances her workaholic tendencies with a passion for travel, exploring the world with her family.

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