Attorneys for Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard respond after accusers step forward

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Just hours after five women and one man who have accused Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard of sexual assault in a pair of anonymous lawsuits revealed their identities and spoke publicly with reporters, Ballard’s attorneys released a statement that said the accusations were false and inaccurate.

The statement from California-based attorneys Whitney Z. Bernstein, Alexis Paschedag Federico, and Thomas H. Bienert, Jr. of Bienert Katzman Littrell Williams LLP said:

We are counsel for Tim Ballard and look forward to fighting these claims and revealing all of their inaccuracies. We note that none of these suits have been served on Tim, and instead seem intended as a vehicle to wrongly attack him as opposed to properly initiating legal proceedings. The Ballards will not let what they view as politically charged false claims deter them from continuing their mission of saving children from the scourge of trafficking. We very much look forward to litigation on the merits of these accusations in the courtroom

In a tearful, lengthy interview in Salt Lake City Tuesday, the plaintiffs explained their desire to help the cause of ending human trafficking. Many said they did not want to take their stories to the public but felt an obligation to try to prevent others from being victimized in the same way they allege they were.

The day following the interview, Alan Mortensen, a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs who was suing Ballard sent the following statement to KSL TV:

We have sought to have Tim Ballard’s attorney’s accept service as a professional courtesy to him. We recently were informed the lawyer we were dealing with does not represent him. Today is the first we have learned that Tim Ballard has retained Bienert Katzman LItterll williams LLP and we will reach out to them on Friday to accept service for Mr. Ballard. If they decline, we will personally serve Mr. BAllard as soon as he is located. The sooner we can get Mr. Ballard under oath the better.

NEW: Attorneys for Tim Ballard say he has yet to be served in the lawsuits alleging sexual assault and fraud. “None of these suits have been served on Tim, and instead seem intended as a vehicle to wrongly attack him as opposed to properly initiating legal proceedings,” they say. https://t.co/cURtNIVFKm

— Lindsay Aerts (@LindsayOnAir) November 23, 2023

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Lindsay Aerts contributed to this report.