Lawsuits Filed by Five Women Accuse Tim Ballard, Anti-Child Trafficking Activist and Inspiration for ‘Sound of Freedom’ Movie, Alleging Sexual Abuse and Unlawful Coercion during Overseas Trips as Supposed Spouses

Five women on Monday sued the founder of an anti-child trafficking group that inspired a popular movie this year, alleging he sexually manipulated, abused and harassed them during foreign trips designed to lure and capture child sex traffickers.

Tim Ballard’s life story and his work with Operation Underground Railroad inspired Sound of Freedom, a 2023 film popular with conservative moviegoers.

He recently resigned from the group amid allegations of sexual abuse and harassment, which he has denied.

The complaints against Ballard are based on a “mating scheme” he allegedly perpetrated with women from Operation Underground Railroad, whom he persuaded to pose as his wife to fool child sex traffickers into thinking he was a legitimate client , according to the lawsuit filed in Utah state court. .

The ruse began when Ballard and women in the organization took trips across the country to “practice” their “sexual chemistry” with tantric yoga, couples massages with escorts and performing lap dances on Ballard, the lawsuit alleges.

Ballard allegedly sent at least one woman a photo of himself in his underwear and asked another “how far she was willing to go” to save children, source said

While promotional materials portrayed the group’s overseas missions as “paramilitary drop-ins to arrest human traffickers and rescue children,” they mainly involved “visiting strip clubs and massage parlors around the world, after flying first class to get there.” to come, and stayed in five hotels. star hotels, on boats and at VRBOs around the world,” the lawsuit alleges.

Several women, meanwhile, were ultimately subjected to “forcible sexual contact,” including “various sexual acts, excluding actual penetration, in various states of undress,” the lawsuit alleges.

Even privately, “Ballard would argue that he and his female partner had to maintain the appearance of a romantic relationship at all times, just in case suspected human traffickers were able to keep an eye on them at any point.”

The 47-year-old allegedly induced the women to share a bed with him or shower together, telling them this was to convince traffickers they were married, even though the accommodations were always in designated “safe houses” ‘ which provided separate bedrooms. and bathrooms.

After its initial American release, the film was released in British and Irish cinemas on September 1

It accuses Ballard of forcing the women to practice their romantic interactions through massages, escorts and lap dances – all funded by the group.

Ballard allegedly sent at least one woman a photo of himself in his underwear covered in fake tattoos and asked another “how far she was willing to go” to save children, a source said.

The lawsuit also alleges that two marriages ended as a result of Ballard’s actions, offering to cover the costs of a divorce attorney for one victim.

Ballard would claim to the women who operated with him that if his wife died, he would marry them immediately.

Ballard allegedly insisted that the women keep quiet about their alleged sexual encounters with him because telling anyone would put everyone’s lives in danger during the undercover mission, saying it was necessary to rescue the trafficked children.

The women said Ballard would also quote the women from Scripture, using a passage of Scripture in which a prophet is told by the Holy Spirit to kill a man, claiming that the Holy Spirit would sometimes ask people to do “unconventional ‘ tasks to perform.

According to the lawsuit, it wasn’t until the spring of 2023 that a number of women reported to OUR management, leading to Ballard’s termination.

In a video posted to Instagramappeared to acknowledge that some of his missions involved working with fake women, but he claimed this was a legitimate tactic known as the “matching trick” used to fool human traffickers.

He claimed this allowed male officers to turn down offers of underage sex from traffickers by claiming their wives would disapprove, while maintaining credibility.

The women, who filed the lawsuit under pseudonyms, allege that Ballard used his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his connections to church leaders to convince them that what he was doing was solely for the benefit of children was in need.

A screenshot of the Mormon Church’s internal database shows that Tim Ballard does not appear in any family directory, but his wife, Katherine, is instead listed as “head of household.” The names of his children have been redacted to protect their anonymity

Ballard said church President M. Russell Ballard, no relation, gave him special permission to use couples “as long as no intercourse or kissing occurred.”

The church, in a September statement, condemned Tim Ballard for “unauthorized use” of the church president’s name for personal gain and “activity considered morally unacceptable,” without saying what that activity was.

But it appears the church has now completely severed ties with the married father of nine as a search of its internal database failed to turn up his details.

It follows that a church disciplinary board was held on September 27 before Ballard received a letter informing him of his excommunication two days later.

The church has not confirmed this, and Ballard’s wife, Katherine, said the couple was in “contact” with their local church leaders, but that “such discussions – as required by the church – are strictly confidential and extremely personal.”

Ballard’s wife, Katherine, has supported her husband in the wake of the allegations against him. The couple will be photographed in August

Tim Ballard had claimed that his anti-human trafficking activities had been blessed by Mormon Church Elder M. Russell Ballard as a means to convert more Americans to the Utah-based faith, according to a since-closed FBI investigation. The church denies that Elder Ballard did this

Sources have told DailyMail.com that the Mormon church is trying to protect its own legal position by distancing itself from Ballard, but its cautious public stance suggests it fears alienating its base, many of whom are fiercely loyal to Ballard and his work.

Excommunication would represent a staggering fall from grace for Ballard, who had recently promoted his intention to run for Senate.

Tim Ballard alleged that a passage in the Book of Mormon justified performing “unconventional” tasks, the lawsuit alleges.

“Ballard would receive ketamine treatments and have a scribe come with him as he would talk to the dead prophet Nephi and issue prophecies about Ballard’s greatness and future as a United States Senator, President of the United States, and ultimately Mormon prophet to usher him in. at the second coming of Christ,” the lawsuit said.

Just last month, Ballard had said he was “seriously” considering running for the Utah Senate following the success of Sound of Freedom, a film based on his anti-human trafficking activities.

Days before the church convicted Ballard, Mitt Romney announced he would not seek a second term representing Utah in the U.S. Senate.

Ballard, who has said he is considering a run for Senate, has blamed political opponents for the recent sexual allegations against him.

Days after Ballard announced his candidacy, Vice News reported that seven women who had worked with OUR had made claims of sexual misconduct against him.

Ballard’s fame as an opponent of child sex trafficking led to him being invited to the White House under President Donald Trump.

Ballard, previously a special adviser to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, was appointed to the White House Anti-Human Trafficking Council in 2019.