The anti-slavery activist, whose story was adapted into the hit film “Sound of Freedom,” has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least seven women.
Tim Ballard, a Utah-born former CIA agent who founded the nonprofit Operation Underground Railroad in 2013, is accused of pressuring women during missions to rescue children.
Ballard allegedly pressured the women into sharing a bed with him or showering together, telling them it was necessary to convince the traffickers that they were married.
Sources told Vice News that Ballard, who resigned from OUR in June, sent at least one woman a photo of himself in underwear covered in fake tattoos.
The married father of nine allegedly asked another woman “how far she was willing to go” to save children.
Tim Ballard (pictured in a video on social media earlier this week), a Utah-born former CIA agent who founded the nonprofit Operation Underground Railroad in 2013, is accused of pressuring women during missions to rescue children
Former CIA agent Tim Ballard, who inspired the film “Sound of Freedom,” has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least seven women, Vice News reported Monday
The film has been the subject of much political controversy, with some raising questions about its factual accuracy and others criticizing it for its alleged QAnon links
After its initial release in the US, the film was released in UK and Irish cinemas on September 1st
A letter from OUR sent to donors this summer said: “Ultimately, through disturbingly specific and parallel reports, it has been revealed that Tim has fraudulently and extensively manipulated and manipulated multiple women over the past several years, with the ultimate intent to do so “To force her to participate in sexual acts with him on the condition of going where necessary and doing “whatever it takes” to save a child.”
Ballard, who is considering a run for the Senate to replace the retiring Mitt Romney, said at a rally in Boston over the weekend: “That’s not true, nothing you hear is true.”
Ballard was contacted by for comment.
In the film adaptation of his work, Ballard is played by Jim Caviezel, the staunchly Catholic star of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ who is known for spreading QAnon conspiracy theories. His wife Katherine is played by Mira Sorvino.
Tim Ballard collapses after being excommunicated @LDSchurch And he makes up numbers about all the children he has “saved” and the villains he has convicted. All lies.
Anyone who is fooled by Sound of Freedom or this scam needs to learn that child abuse is used as a weapon for power and money. https://t.co/Fm7kHZJxPC pic.twitter.com/2FGFPJAYr3
— Jim Stewartson, anti-disinfo activist 🇺🇸🇺🇦💙 (@jimstewartson) September 18, 2023
Ballard is shown working to rescue young girls from a Colombian sex trafficking ring, in a plot loosely based on his own exploits – but which Ballard openly admits was embellished.
The themes of “Sound of Freedom” have resonated particularly with conservatives, including mainstream Republicans interested in education and other children’s issues and evangelicals who have responded to the film’s religious undertones.
It also resonated widely with far-right QAnon followers, who have for years spread alarming fears about child endangerment, such as the idea that a Washington, D.C. pizzeria was operating a child trafficking ring involving Hillary Clinton and other senior Democrats .
The film was shunned by major studios and released independently, becoming one of the most successful independent films in history.
Released on July 4, the film was supported by Donald Trump, who held a screening at his Bedminster golf club and spoke with Ballard for his podcast.
But on June 22, Operation Underground Railroad cut ties with Ballard without explanation.
A letter from OUR to donors was obtained by journalist Lynn Kenneth Packer.
He read the letter on an episode of his podcast.
“Several weeks ago, an OUR employee who accompanied Tim on an undercover operation filed a sexual harassment complaint against him with OUR Human Resources,” the letter said.
“This led to a comprehensive internal investigation into Tim and his individual operational tactics and led to more women coming forward as part of the investigative process.”
“Ultimately, it has been revealed through disturbingly specific and parallel reports that Tim has fraudulently and extensively manipulated and manipulated multiple women over the past several years, with the ultimate intent of forcing them to engage in sexual acts with him under the premise of going somewhere .” “It takes whatever it takes to save a child.”
The letter said OUR’s board and lawyers entered into agreements that prohibited executives from discussing the circumstances of Ballard’s departure from the organization.
They said the agreement made it “virtually impossible for them to defend the organization against Tim’s false narratives.”
“Sound of Freedom” was the surprise box office hit of the summer, but its success was not without controversy
Over the weekend, the Mormon Church – of which Ballard is a member – issued a rare rebuke, condemning “activities deemed morally unacceptable” in a statement.
They didn’t specify what they meant.
The LDS Church’s letter also accused Ballard of using the name of its president, M. Russell Ballard, to whom he is not related.
“President Ballard and Tim Ballard (no relation) became friends several years ago,” the statement said.
“This friendship was based on a common interest in caring for the children of God wherever they are and regardless of their circumstances.” However, this relationship is in the past.
“President Ballard had no contact with the founder of Operation Underground Railroad (OUR) for many months. The nature of this relationship has always been to support vulnerable children who are being abused, trafficked and otherwise neglected.
“When it became clear that Tim Ballard had betrayed their friendship by unauthorized use of President Ballard’s name for the personal benefit of Tim Ballard and his activities viewed as morally unacceptable, President Ballard withdrew his association.”
“President Ballard never authorized his name or the name of the church to be used for Tim’s personal or financial interests.”
“Furthermore, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has never endorsed, endorsed or represented OUR, Tim Ballard, or any related projects.”
“President Ballard loves children everywhere. “It was his mission and life’s work to care for them, provide for them, and point them to their Savior.”
The drama comes as Ballard says he is seriously considering running for the U.S. Senate.
Ballard told Sean Spicer on “The Sean Spicer Show” this week in the video, first obtained by , that he was approached “a few weeks ago” by “very influential people” about running for the seat deal with.
Romney, 76, caused an uproar in Congress on Thursday with the surprise announcement that he would not run for a second term.
He also fired parting shots at unrest within the Republican Party, saying Biden and Trump, like himself, were too old for office.
“At the end of another term I would be in my mid-80s,” he said. “Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders”
When asked to run for the seat even before Romney publicly announced he was leaving the Senate, Ballard said, “I’ve been thinking about it very seriously.”
And after Romney announced his resignation, Ballard said it would be “easier” for him to potentially run for the post.
He said he will enter the race after prayerfully considering the position and if his wife, Katherine, supports the decision.
The former agent currently lives in Utah with his wife and nine children, two of whom he adopted from Haiti.
Because of his work, he said “something more needs to be done at the federal level” and that momentum for his possible Senate run continues to grow.
“I get calls from people all the time,” he said.
Ballard said the film’s success prevented him from ever working as a telephone operator again, as his face is now recognized by traffickers and bad actors, so becoming a senator could be a good next step.
The former agent who inspired the famous film “Sound of Freedom” has become a leading voice for anti-human trafficking efforts around the world.
According to Post Millennial, “Sound of Freedom” grossed $14 million on July 4, while the latest Indiana Jones film only grossed $11.5 million. It is now the number one film in Latin America.
As for the continued success of the Sound of Freedom film, Ballard told in an exclusive interview this week that he’s still “shocked by it.”
But he’s grateful for the success because now he has an audience with Latino leaders who are helping create change.
“And it forces a conversation that I think the American people wanted to have but didn’t know how to start,” he added.
Ballard said the film was not intended to “make a statement on border policy” but rather came out exactly when it was needed most.
He said the film’s success prevented him from ever working as an agent again, as his face was now recognized by traffickers and bad actors.
Ballard was on Capitol Hill this week to meet with lawmakers and testify about child sex trafficking.
Ballard told Sean Spicer on “The Sean Spicer Show” this week in the video, first obtained by , that he was approached “a few weeks ago” by “very influential people” about running for the seat deal with.
He told in an exclusive interview before his testimony before the House of Representatives that Biden’s open borders policy is perpetuating human trafficking in the US and abroad.
The Biden administration has lost track of more than 85,000 unaccompanied minors who have crossed the border into the United States in recent years, he said.
The children become easy “prey for the traffickers,” leading to an “alarming situation” that he says is being largely ignored by the Biden administration.
Republicans are heading toward “potential” impeachment of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as they expose the horrific human impact of the crisis at the southern border — including rampant sex trafficking and fentanyl poisonings.