Lawsuit filed against Tim Ballard, Operation Underground Railroad and others; Ballard denies allegations
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Five Utah residents have filed a civil lawsuit against Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard and the organization, alleging sexual assault, fraud and emotional abuse.
The lawsuit, filed in the 3rd Judicial District Court in Salt Lake County, identifies the plaintiffs only by initials, and is brought against Ballard, Operation Underground Railroad and its board members, the Spear Fund, Rockwell Group and others, all tied to experiences alleged when Ballard was part of OUR — an organization established with a goal of rescuing trafficked individuals.
“Defendant Ballard, intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, committed battery and sexual assault of Plaintiffs, as all sexual touching was done under the Couples Ruse in order to help save trafficked children and women,” the lawsuit alleges.
Several hours after the Deseret News reported on the lawsuit, Ballard responded to a request for comment through his attorney.
“Mr. Ballard vehemently denies the allegations brought by these unnamed women,” the statement said. “He looks forward to vindicating his name in the courts where evidence, and not unsubstantiated accusations in the media, decides the outcome.”
The “couples ruse” came to public light through media reports alleging misdeeds by Ballard and OUR. As spelled out in the lawsuit, “Ballard claims that the couples ruse was an undercover tool to prevent detection by pedophiles when Ballard would not engage in sexual touching of the trafficked women offered up to him in strip clubs and massage parlors across the world.”
But the women bringing the lawsuit allege that “Ballard soon began abusing the couples ruse and eventually used the ruse as a tool for sexual grooming,” the lawsuit states. The 30-page document outlines alleged grooming tactics, and claims Ballard traded on his relationships with others to manipulate women to “coerce them into sexual contact.”
The lawsuit notes the relationship between Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes and Ballard and states “Reyes has repeatedly vouched for OUR and Tim Ballard.” The suit alleges that “complaints and criminal investigations were pouring into his office regarding the improprieties of OUR and Ballard.”
Reyes Monday released a statement: “The Attorney General’s Office did not receive any Criminal complaints or requests for investigation regarding OUR or Tim Ballard as alleged in the Complaint.”
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Ballard has confirmed the existence of the couples ruse on multiple occasions, but in response to previous reporting denied that it ever involved sexual contact.
“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,” Ballard said last month in a statement.
The lawsuit alleges “OUR was making staggering profits as Ballard opened ‘for profit’ companies, defendants, which were alter-egos of OUR and Ballard and that allowed Ballard to line his pockets with the widow’s mite.”
The suit lists 12 causes of action and seeks unspecified general and punitive damages to be decided at trial. The causes of action include:
Sexual assault and battery by all plaintiffs against Ballard.
Conspiracy to commit battery and sexual assault by all plaintiffs against all defendants. It noted specifically that “the couples ruse was an institutional doctrine of OUR and its affiliated companies.”
Fraud by all plaintiffs against Ballard.
Civil conspiracy to defraud by all plaintiffs against all defendants
Intentional infliction of emotional distress, against all defendants.
“As a direct an proximate result of the wrongful conduct of defendants, Plaintiffs have suffered severe emotional distress, permanent injury, loss of self-esteem and other injuries, all to their general damages in reasonable sums,” the lawsuit states.
Ballard is no longer a part of OUR, having left the organization after an internal investigation into his activities. He became a senior adviser to the Spear Fund, which “collaborates with and funds anti-trafficking organizations,” according to its website.
Ballard’s life and work with OUR were the inspiration for recent box office success “The Sound of Freedom.”
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