O.U.R. files countersuit alleging defamation

Hanna Seariac
·3 min read
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Suzette Rasmussen, an attorney representing former employees and contractors of Operation Underground Railroad, speaks on behalf of her clients in front of the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Sept. 28, 2023. Attorneys representing O.U.R. filed a countersuit accusing counter-defendants of making defamatory claims about the organization.


On Monday, attorneys representing Operation Underground Railroad filed a countersuit in the 3rd Judicial District Court in Salt Lake County alleging counter-defendants made defamatory claims about the organization.

One of the counter-defendants Celeste Borys started out as a community relations manager at O.U.R. in October 2021 and later became an executive assistant to Tim Ballard in March 2023. Her position was eliminated on June 28, 2023, according to the countersuit.

In October, five women filed a civil suit against O.U.R and its former CEO Ballard.

“Defendant Ballard, intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, committed battery and sexual assault of Plantiffs, as all sexual touching was done under the Couples Ruse in order to help save trafficked children and women,” the October suit alleged.

An attorney for Ballard previously issued a statement to the Deseret News denying these allegations.

O.U.R. filed the countersuit Monday in response to a different suit: an amended complaint filed by Celeste Borys and Michael Borys. The amended complaint was filed in early December and named Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad as defendants, among others.

The amended complaint obtained by the Deseret News claimed “at several points of time during her employment with Ballard, Ballard violently abused and assaulted Plaintiff Celeste Borys under the false pretense of the Couples Ruse and Operation Bodyguard.”

The amended complaint also claimed O.U.R. “was aware that Ballard had been accused of engaging in sexual affairs with at least eight different women consisting primarily of Ballard’s former Couples Ruse partners.”

What did the countersuit allege?

The countersuit filed by O.U.R. alleged that Celeste Borys and Michael Borys made defamatory statements about O.U.R. and claimed “Ms. Borys’ acts and omissions violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.”

“While Mr. Ballard was on leave and after his termination, Ms. Borys gave no indication that any sexually inappropriate conduct had been directed towards her by Mr. Ballard despite the opportunities she was given to report misconduct,” the countersuit claimed.

The countersuit also alleged the following statement in the amended complaint was defamatory: “A joint plan was hatched between O.U.R. and Ballard, whereby he would resign ostensibly because of the appearance of a conflict of interest with the release of ‘Sound of Freedom,’ in which he has a financial interest.”

“O.U.R.’s counterclaims exhibit a shocking level of insensitivity to the victims and a total lack of understanding of what the organization proclaims as its mission — to rescue victims of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation,” Suzette Rasmussen, attorney for Celeste Borys and Michael Borys, wrote in a statement emailed to the Deseret News. “My clients are prepared to vigorously defend themselves, capitalizing on the expanded avenues for discovery presented by these counterclaims.”

The countersuit also made claims about the movie “Sound of Freedom.”

“‘Sound of Freedom’ is not a documentary about O.U.R. The movie appears to focus loosely on perceived life events of Tim Ballard (‘Mr. Ballard’),” the countersuit claimed. “O.U.R. did not participate in its production, having a consulting role in the movie, or have approval rights.”

O.U.R. is seeking damages, attorneys’ fees, the return of O.U.R. property “including all company communications” and for Celeste Borys to dismiss her complaint against O.U.R.