‘Sound of Freedom’ Inspiration and Anti-Sex-Trafficking Activist Tim Ballard Sued For Sexual Misconduct

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Tim Ballard, who has promoted himself as a champion for victims of child sex trafficking and the inspiration behind the hit movie Sound of Freedom, has been sued for allegedly sexually assaulting five women.

While the allegations are not new, this is the first time legal action against Ballard has been announced. The suit was filed in his home state of Utah on Monday after several reports of Ballard’s misconduct and rumors hit the media. Ballard resigned from Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.), the organization he founded with the mission to fight child sex trafficking, in June when the allegations started coming out.

According to the Washington Post, the allegations stem from activities that took place during “sting operations” on behalf of O.U.R., in which Ballard and female colleagues would pose as a couple to “ensnare traffickers.” Ballard would allegedly take the “couples ruse” many steps too far, manipulating the women into continuing their act after the operation:

Ballard encouraged the women to share the same bed and shower with him on his missions, and eventually began coercing sex acts from them, the suit claims. These acts would take place in private accommodations, according the lawsuit, because Ballard would claim he and his partner “had to maintain the appearance of a romantic relationship at all times in case suspicious traffickers might be surveilling them.”

Ballard is also alleged to have told the women that engaging in sex play with him would improve their own marriages, while also advising that they not tell their husbands about these acts, lest it compromise their mission.

The lawsuit claims Ballard would ask each woman: “Is there anything you wouldn’t do to save a child?”

Ballard defended these actions amid the allegations that led to his resignation from OUR, claiming that the “ruse” had saved “hundreds, maybe thousands” of victims or potential victims. Reports surfaced that Ballard may have exaggerated or inflated the real number of his accomplishments.

Suzette Rasmussen, who represents the five women in the lawsuit, said there were potentially more victims expected to come forward with allegations against Ballard.

The Post did not have a comment from Ballard, but O.U.R. and its board, which are both named as defendants in the lawsuit, “categorically” deny the allegations.