Perverted Lives of the Rich and Famous > Tim Ballard - Another fallen hero; Ashton Kutcher steps down from Chairman of Thorne

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Lawsuit alleges famous child-trafficking opponent

sexually abused women who posed as his wife

BY MEAD GRUVER, AP

Updated 11:19 AM PDT, October 10, 2023

Five women on Monday sued the founder of an anti-child-trafficking group that inspired a popular movie this year, alleging he sexually manipulated, abused and harassed them on overseas trips designed to lure and catch child sex traffickers.

Tim Ballard’s life story and work with Operation Underground Railroad inspired “Sound of Freedom,” a 2023 film popular with conservative moviegoers. He recently resigned from the group amid sexual abuse and harassment allegations he has denied.

Ballard’s prominence as an opponent of child sex trafficking got him invited to the White House under President Donald Trump. Previously a special adviser to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, Ballard was appointed to a White House anti-human-trafficking board in 2019.

The complaints against Ballard center on a “couple’s ruse” he allegedly engaged in with Operation Underground Railroad women who posed as his wife to fool child sex traffickers into thinking he was a legitimate client, according to the lawsuit filed in Utah state court.

Phone and email messages left with Operation Underground Railroad and Ballard’s representatives were not immediately returned Monday.

The ruse began with Ballard and women in the organization taking cross-country trips to “practice” their “sexual chemistry” with tantric yoga, couple’s massages with escorts and performing lap dances on Ballard, the lawsuit claims.

While promotional materials portrayed the group’s overseas missions as “paramilitary drop-ins to arrest traffickers and rescue children,” they mostly involved “going to strip clubs and massage parlors across the world, after flying first class to get there, and staying at five-star hotels, on boats, and at VRBOs (vacation rentals by owner) across the globe,” the lawsuit alleges.

Several women, meanwhile, were eventually subjected to “coerced sexual contact,” including “several sexual acts with the exception of actual penetration, in various states of undress,” the lawsuit alleges.

Even in private, the lawsuit alleges: “Ballard would claim that he and his female partner had to maintain the appearance of a romantic relationship at all times in case suspicious traffickers might be surveilling them at any moment.”

The women, who filed the lawsuit under pseudonyms, allege Ballard meanwhile used his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and connection to church leaders to persuade them what he was doing was just for the good of children in need of help.

Ballard said a high-ranking church leader, M. Russell Ballard, no relation, gave him special permission to use the couples ruse “as long as there was no sexual intercourse or kissing.” The church in a September statement condemned Tim Ballard for “unauthorized use” of the church leader’s name for personal advantage and “activity regarded as morally unacceptable.”

Tim Ballard claimed a passage in the Book of Mormon justified performing “unconventional” tasks, the lawsuit alleges.

“Ballard would get ketamine treatments and have a scribe come in with him while he would talk to the dead prophet Nephi and issue forth prophecies about Ballard’s greatness and future as a United States senator, president of the United States and ultimately the Mormon prophet to usher in the second coming of Christ,” the lawsuit states.

Days before the church condemned Ballard, Mitt Romney announced he would not seek a second term representing Utah in the U.S. Senate. Ballard, who has said he was considering running for Senate, has blamed political opponents for the recent sexual allegations against him.

This story has been corrected to show that M. Russell Ballard is a high-ranking leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but that he is not president of the entire faith.

Another hero bites the dust, not for doing anything wrong except to make an unfortunate statement in favour of an old friend who had done something wrong. Social media does not allow for errors in judgment anymore.
 
Thanks for the great work you started, all that you have accomplished, and the young lives you have had a hand in rescuing, Ashton. God bless you.

Ashton Kutcher resigns from anti-child-sex-abuse board

following backlash

By Michelle Butterfield  Global News

Posted September 15, 2023 1:45 pm

Ashton Kutcher is stepping down as chairman of the board of an anti-child-sex-abuse organization he co-founded, called Thorn, as he continues to face fallout and outrage for supporting rapist Danny Masterson.

TIME magazine reports that his wife, Mila Kunis, is also stepping down in her role as an observer on Thorn’s board.

“Victims of sexual abuse have been historically silenced and the character statement I submitted is yet another painful instance of questioning victims who are brave enough to share their experiences,” Kutcher wrote in a letter dated Thursday to Thorn’s board, which was shared on Thorn’s website as well as with TIME.

“After my wife and I spent several days of listening, personal reflection, learning, and conversations with survivors and the employees and leadership at Thorn, I have determined the responsible thing for me to do is resign as Chairman of the Board, effectively immediately,” Kutcher wrote. “I cannot allow my error in judgment to distract from our efforts and the children we serve.”

Kutcher and Kunis made headlines late last week when it was revealed they wrote letters of support for Masterson, asking the presiding judge for leniency while determining sentencing for Masterson, who was found guilty of two counts of rape.

The co-stars, who are now married, were once main characters on That ’70s Show alongside Masterson. Their letters vouched for Masterson’s “exceptional character.”

“I do not believe he is an ongoing harm to society,” Kutcher wrote, while Kunis described Masterson as an “outstanding role model and friend.”

Outrage over the letters ensued, prompting the couple to share a video to Instagram Sunday where Kutcher explained that Masterson’s family had asked them to write character letters detailing “the person that we knew for 25 years so that the judge could take that into full consideration relative to the sentencing.”

“The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling,” Kunis said.

The couple were just two of a reported 50 people who wrote letters of support to Judge Charlaine Olmeda.

However, the letters didn’t appear to do much to sway the judge’s mind, and Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life behind bars.

And while Kunis and Kutcher have both been subject to much scorn and vitriol – including very public draggings from several fellow celebrities – Kutcher’s come under additional scrutiny for his advocacy in the anti-child-sex-trafficking space.

“The mission must always be the priority and I want to offer my heartfelt apology to all victims of sexual violence and everyone at Thorn who I hurt by what I did,” Kutcher wrote to Thorn’s board. “And to the broader advocacy community, I am deeply sorry. I remain proud of what we have accomplished in the past decade and will continue to support Thorn’s work. Thank you for your tireless advocacy and dedication to this cause.”

Thorn was founded in 2009 by Kutcher and his then-wife, Demi Moore, under the name DNA Foundation. Thorn develops tools and technology to help tech companies remove child sex abuse material from online spaces, as well as assist law enforcement in identifying victims.

“Ashton founded Thorn over a decade ago with one goal in mind: to protect children from sexual abuse and give them the childhood they deserve,” Suzanne Bell, a board member at Thorn, said in a statement.

“His unwavering dedication and commitment to Thorn throughout its journey have enabled the organization to become the leader that it is in the child safety ecosystem. It has been my privilege to join him on this mission.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.

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