Tim Ballard, the former Department of Homeland Security agent whose real-life heroics rescuing trafficked children were glamorized in the smash film “Sound of Freedom” starring Jim Caviezel, is now speaking out in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct with numerous women.
“It’s not true, nothing you hear is true,” Ballard told supporters in Boston, who recorded his comments on video.
“This is breaking down my family like you can’t believe,” he continued, as his delivery varied from shouting at the cameras to welling up in tears.
His comments come in the wake of a report by VICE News, which indicated “Ballard’s exit from Operation Underground Railroad earlier this year followed an investigation into claims of sexual misconduct involving seven women, according to sources with direct knowledge of the organization.”
Tim Ballard is breaking down after being excommunicated from @LDSchurch & making up numbers about all the kids he “rescued” & the bad guys he got convicted. All lies.
Anyone fooled by “Sound of Freedom” or this fraud must learn child abuse is being weaponized for power & money. https://t.co/Fm7kHZJxPC pic.twitter.com/2FGFPJAYr3
— Jim Stewartson, Anti-disinfo activist
(@jimstewartson) September 18, 2023
(@jimstewartson) “Sources familiar with the situation said that the self-styled anti-slavery activist, who appears to be preparing for a Senate run, invited women to act as his ‘wife’ on undercover overseas missions ostensibly aimed at rescuing victims of sex trafficking. He would then allegedly coerce those women into sharing a bed or showering together, claiming that it was necessary to fool traffickers. Ballard, who was played by Jim Caviezel in the hit film Sound of Freedom, is said to have 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. These sources requested anonymity because they fear retaliation.”
The report continued: “The information from the sources with direct knowledge of OUR corroborates an anonymous letter that’s been circulating in the Utah philanthropic community for the past several months, which accuses Ballard of sexual harassment. VICE News first reported on the letter in July; the journalist Lynn Packer published it in full on Sunday.
“‘Several weeks ago, an OUR employee who accompanied Tim on an undercover operation filed a sexual harassment complaint against him with OUR’s HR department,’” the letter, which was sent this summer to donors to anti-trafficking causes, reads. ‘This resulted in an extensive internal investigation into Tim and his individual operational tactics and led to more women speaking up as part of the investigation process.
“‘It was ultimately revealed through disturbingly specific and parallel accounts, that Tim has been deceitfully and extensively grooming and manipulating multiple women for the past few years with the ultimate intent of coercing them to participate in sexual acts with him, under the premise of going where it takes and doing ‘whatever it takes’ to save a child.’”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, of which Ballard is member, reportedly released a statement to FOX13 News and other media, calling Ballard’s behavior “morally unacceptable.”
But Ballard questioned the authenticity of that statement.
“I don’t believe the Church did this,” he said in the video. “I truly don’t. Can you imagine that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints would publicly condemn one of its members?”
Fox13 also reported the LDS Church “has removed articles promoting Ballard and the nonprofit he founded, Operation Underground Railroad (OUR).”
“Tim is fully convinced that he is supposed to be the ‘Mormon Messiah and lead people back to the church,” the statement reportedly indicated.
Fox13 noted of VICE’s probe: “The documents reportedly outline how prosecutors believe Ballard communicated with a psychic to speak to the prophet Nephi ‘to get intel’ on how to rescue children.’”
Ballard says in the video: “I’m as human as anybody. But how is it that my decisions and my actions which led to the rescue of over 7,000 women and children and the arrest and imprisonment of over 5,000 traffickers and pedophiles, you tell me how I’m the bad guy in that story. How is it possible?”
“I pray to God the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints wasn’t part of this.”
When asked for a detailed request for comment by VICE News, a spokesperson for Operation Underground Railroad stated:
Tim Ballard resigned from O.U.R. on June 22, 2023. He has permanently separated from O.U.R.
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.
O.U.R. is confident in its future as the leading organization committed to combatting sex trafficking and saving children who have been captured and sold into slavery.
According to BoxOfficeMojo, “Sound of Freedom” to date has grossed more than $183 million in the U.S. since its opening on Independence Day, and another $27 million internationally.
‘Creepy’: ‘Sound of Freedom’ critic tied to group rebranding pedophiles
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