Tim Ballard, an anti-trafficking activist who left his own organization is accused of abusing his power and coercing women to make them prove how much they supported the cause, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Ballard, whose story was the basis for the blockbuster film Sound of Freedom, allegedly displayed inappropriate behavior around at least seven women, according to an explosive report, which claimed he made his exit after an internal investigation over sexual misconduct allegations.
The anti-slavery activist and married father-of-nine was claimed to have convinced women working with him on behalf of Operation Underground Railroad to pose as his wife, going as far as asking some to share a bed or shower together, “claiming that it was necessary to fool traffickers.”
O.U.R. was founded in 2013 and Ballard is portrayed by Jim Caviezel in the indie hit.
Ballard allegedly sent at least one woman “a photo of himself in his underwear, festooned with fake tattoos, and to have asked another ‘how far she was willing to go,’ in the words of a source, to save children,” Anna Merlan and Tim Marchman of VICE News reported on Monday.
An insider said that Ballard, a former ICE agent, apparently also made sexual advances to a volunteer using similar methods following rumors of an anonymous letter accusing him of sexual harassment floating around this summer.
“Tim Ballard resigned from O.U.R. on June 22, 2023. He has permanently separated from O.U.R.,” a spokesperson told the outlet. “O.U.R. is dedicated to combatting sexual abuse, and does not tolerate sexual harassment or discrimination by anyone in its organization.”
“O.U.R. retained an independent law firm to conduct a comprehensive investigation of all relevant allegations, and O.U.R. continues to assess and improve the governance of the organization and protocols for its operations. To preserve the integrity of its investigation and to protect the privacy of all persons involved, O.U.R. will not make any further public comment at this time,” the spokesperson continued.
“O.U.R. is confident in its future as the leading organization committed to combating sex trafficking and saving children who have been captured and sold into slavery.”
Ballard is reportedly considering a run for the Senate amid claims that he seemed to fabricate a relationship with an elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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He addressed the swirling rumors during a rally in Boston over the weekend, stating, “It’s not true, nothing you hear is true.”