Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad: Unmasking a Controversial Figure in the Fight Against Human Trafficking
Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad: Unveiling the Shadows of a Heroic Quest." As portrayed by The Sound of Freedom?
Introduction to Tim Ballard and “Operation Underground Railroad” (O.U.R.):
For those not closely following the headlines, the name Tim Ballard might not ring a bell, but the urgency of understanding the authenticity of his story cannot be overstated. In recent times, allegations against him have come to light, and they demand our attention. Why, you might ask? It's because Ballard's mission takes on the behemoth of human trafficking—an industry with tentacles that stretch across the globe and a stranglehold on numerous facets of our world. This industry preys on the most vulnerable among us: children and youth forced into the harrowing world of sex slavery.
Ballard has been celebrated as a modern-day hero and a warrior, tirelessly traversing remote jungles to rescue children from the clutches of sex traffickers. He leads an elite team of individuals, dedicated to bringing these traffickers to justice and reuniting children with their families. His efforts are underpinned by what he describes as an authentic faith in God, making him a symbol of divine intervention in the fight against human trafficking.
However, as we delve into this narrative, it becomes evident that there are sizable inconsistencies in the story he tells. This article aims to dissect those discrepancies. But before we get into the details, let's take a look at the theatrical trailer for the recent cinematic release, "The Sound of Freedom," which is based on Ballard's life and his work with O.U.R.
This movie trailer might resemble a gripping action film, but it sets the stage for a purported life story that raises critical questions: What is the controversy surrounding Tim Ballard, and how much of it holds true? Is his narrative of heroism too good to be true?
Reports of sexual allegations have emerged involving seven women who were once operatives within his organization. These aren't individuals seeking a payday; they are former colleagues who worked alongside him on rescue missions. As I delved into this story, my initial intention was to debunk the controversy and confirm that Ballard is a man of his word, faithfully running his non-profit as expected. Unfortunately, the investigation uncovered even more controversial claims against the narrative he promotes.
https://www.abc4.com/news/wasatch-front/several-women-come-forward-to-affirm-tim-ballard-sexual-allegations/
It's disheartening because I, too, wanted to disprove these controversies and vouch for the authenticity of his story. However, what emerged was a contrasting reality. It's important to acknowledge that movies based on true stories often come with a certain degree of creative license. In this case, the film is suspected of containing inaccuracies, from origin stories to the actual operations on the ground. It is estimated that the movie may contain as little as 5% factual truth despite being touted as "based on a true story."
This is staggering, but it’s reminiscent of the backstory of the Movie ”The Blindside” and everything associated with that based on a true story narrative.
We may get into this narrative a little later in the article; who knows… we’ll see.
With that context in mind, let's establish some groundwork for this article. Tim Ballard and his family adhere to the Latter-day Saint faith, also known as “the Mormon belief system.” He is a former special agent who served in the Department of Homeland Security within the U.S. government before embarking on his non-profit journey with Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.). While he claimed to have been very close to “Elder Ballard” in the Mormon faith, any relationship between the two has since dissolved.
Here’s an excerpt to lend to Tim’s “Relationship” with Elder Ballard.
“Tim Ballard had allegedly claimed his work with Operation Underground Railroad was endorsed by President M. Russell Ballard, the acting president of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
The statement from the church said the two men had been friends, but “once it became clear Tim Ballard had betrayed their friendship through the unauthorized use of President Ballard’s name for Tim Ballard’s personal advantage and activity regarded as morally unacceptable, President Ballard withdrew his association.”
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2023/09/investigative-reports-question-whether-ex-operation-underground-railroad-ceo-misled-donors/
Ballard is also a father of nine children, two of whom are adopted.
He is known for his passionate nature with regard to “rescuing children from the sex traffic industry.” Or at least he fooled people into believing that narrative until recently.
He is the ex-CEO and founder of O.U.R., established in December 2013, with the primary mission of combating human trafficking, especially child sex trafficking.
However, the true origins and necessity for the creation of this non-profit have been subjects of debate. The official narrative surrounding O.U.R.'s founding revolves around a story from the film "Sound of Freedom," where Ballard meets a man searching for his kidnapped children, leading to a mission to rescue them.
Here is an excerpt from the article itself:
“In the new film “Sound of Freedom,” Tim Ballard meets a man whose son and daughter had been kidnapped and sold in trafficking and who Tim determines to find and rescue. The story of this daughter is based on the true story of Guesno Mardy and his son, Gardy. In the film, the daughter was rescued; however, Gardy is still missing despite O.U.R.’s best efforts through the years.”
Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop Tim Ballard from using that as a “sales pitch” to get more money out of the coffers!
https://ourrescue.org/blog/the-real-stroy-behind-the-daughter-in-sound-of-freedom
While this narrative (“Sound of Freedom”) paints a picture of an extraordinary hero saving countless victims from the sex trafficking industry, it conceals a more complicated reality. Which, frankly, is quite saddening.
And quite honestly, It makes me think of headlines that have popped up recently this year, As well as articles that have surfaced due to new documentaries being released. Such is the case with Bernie Madoff!
A piece, “Coffee on the Couch,” covered in a previous article. It's indeed astonishing to contemplate how these genuine individuals fell victim to the sway of such a charismatic leader. While the narratives may vary, the underlying theme remains consistent: individuals who placed their trust were left significantly poorer for it, losing substantial sums of money. What drove this deception? Was it fueled by greed, the hunger for power, the pursuit of influence, or the desire for prestige? All these motivations may have played a role to some extent. In the case of Tim Ballard, a closer examination based on compelling evidence and firsthand accounts from those who worked closely with him reveals a disconcerting truth—he exploited the emotional weight of a profoundly distressing industry for his own financial gain. It represents a disturbing dimension of malfeasance executed by an individual in a position of authority. Almost from the outset, his underlying motivations for his actions and statements appeared misaligned with the perspectives of those who, even among his own ranks, found his tactics and viewpoints challenging to digest.
In the following extended quote, reside people who were actually employed by O.U.R. and Tim Ballard and have either since moved on or have contradictory statements involving the activities of O.U.R.:
”Lopez told investigators he became frustrated with the “massive dishonesty,” but when he brought it up with Ballard, Ballard allegedly “responded with something to the effect of, ‘Well, how would they find out?'” according to the report.
“Dave said OUR was most scared about people finding out the way they were actually doing operations because their narrative doesn’t match that,” the report states. “He said they shifted from all the operations where they go in and work the cases and build out a real case to be prosecuted, and it went away, and it became more of a ‘throw some money at law enforcement agencies and throw the numbers up on a board.'”
An email included in the investigative documents from Operation Underground Railroad domestic coordinator Carlos Rodriguez sent to Ballard and other organization leaders on Oct. 8, 2020, addresses several alleged discrepancies with a videotaped interview Ballard gave.
“This video has many problems: Tim talks about every time he comes home from an operation. Does he run operations right now. This can be attacked,” Rodriguez wrote. “I don’t believe this to be true statement. There are times when Tim said we are working, we solve it. WE don’t do the actual work.”
The documents also include editing notes for the Operation Underground Railroad documentary film “Triple Take,” sent by President of Operations Jonathan Lines in April 2020. The film documents the group’s 2014 rescue in Colombia.”
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2023/09/investigative-reports-question-whether-ex-operation-underground-railroad-ceo-misled-donors/
It goes without saying that whistleblowers are a tremendous asset to the general populace and have provided invaluable information and insight into topics that others would rather not have a light shined on.
Here is a brief look at Whistleblowers who have changed the shape of how our current worldview is looked upon.
The width and breadth of people jumping off this sinking ship are remarkable! However, with everything we currently know about Ballard’s exploits and how he is stealing people’s hard-earned money! There still reside those out there who are tickled pink at his Heroism and all the remarkable work he’s doing for those in the industry… I don’t get it.
But then again, People are easily herded… So there’s that!
What do others say about Tim?
Take a look and be astonished:
“If the mission is to raise money, I think we are doing a great job, but that isn't what I think our mission is.” According to a transcript of a subsequent staff call discussing the email, Ballard’s sister Emily Evans, then the organization’s senior director of PR and marketing, responded to criticism of her brother’s work by saying, “Tim is O.U.R. and O.U.R. is Tim.” On the same call, Brad Damon, O.U.R.’s COO, likened him to Martin Luther King Jr.”
“Another subject of intense concern to investigators and witnesses was the misuse of donor funds, including millions of dollars raised from and by celebrities like media personality Glenn Beck and self-help guru Tony Robbins that was, witnesses said, used for other purposes than that for which it was earmarked—something that could potentially imperil its status as a 501(c)3 nonprofit. The records, for instance, state that money from the $18 million raised during Robbins’ 60th birthday celebration did not go to OUR but to The Nazarene Fund, a related but distinct group of which Ballard was also CEO. The former development director told investigators she found this diversion of funds “horrific.”
What else has Tim gotten his hands into, you ask? Well, let’s take a look at a trailer for a documentary he was the star of roughly 8 years ago
Now, when reading the comments of that timeframe, people were in full support of him. They believed everything he said without question Because, well… they had no reason to question it.
However, once the House of Cards started to collapse, the occupants began jumping out of the windows in full force!
And what we’re left with is our present-day reality.
After all of that, I want to echo this sentiment. I really wanted to disprove these allegations, and I wanted to confirm that he truly was someone of character and integrity who was out there on the frontlines doing this tremendous work! But it turns out he’s just a charlatan sitting on the street corner selling snake oil to any who are gullible enough to buy into it
And that’s the unfortunate message we’re left with in today’s day.
There are no perfect people, and most importantly, this concept: There are no perfect non-profits.
Because people are imperfect, with that said, know and understand the true heroes of the world fighting this battle, don’t do so with production crews at the helm. Nor do they utilize Highly, Highly “immoral actions” to seal the deal!
I’ll leave you with this visual: