Full Documentary: Backfire: The Excommunication Story of Tim Ballard — Watch the Full Version
Official YouTube Channel: Tim Ballard on YouTube
Complete source document: Read the complete 46-page PDF, including scanned appendices
O U R F I L E N U M B E R
This copy has been edited from the original: certain material has been omitted, and some names and initials have been redacted or changed.
CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION
Tim Ballard Timeline of Relevant Events
*Note: We present this information in the spirit, the Ballard family hopes, of locking arms with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in rooting out any negative influences that may have contributed to the concerns expressed herein.
2002 – 2013 – Tim Ballard works as a special agent and undercover operator with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), child crimes unit, and served as an operator of the U.S. Child Sex Tourism Jump Team.
2011 – Tim publishes The American Covenant – One Nation Under God, Vol. I. Sold by Deseret Book successfully through 2023 when Deseret Book took them off the shelves around the time of the Church’s Sept. 15, 2023 defamatory statement.
2011 – Tim publishes The American Covenant – One Nation Under God, Vol. II The Constitution, The Civil War, and Our Fight to Preserve the Covenant Today, also sold by Deseret Book until the Church’s defamatory statement.
2012 – Tim publishes The Covenant – One Nation Under God, America’s Sacred & Immutable Connection to Ancient Israel. Also sold by Deseret Book until the Church’s defamatory statement.
2014 – Tim publishes, via Deseret Book, The Lincoln Hypotheses “A Modern-Day Abolitionist Investigates the Possible Connection Between Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon, and Abraham Lincoln.” This became a Best Seller and was sold by Deseret Book until the Church’s defamatory statement.
2014 – Tim establishes Operation Underground Railroad to provide vital covert operation services that government and law enforcement worldwide often cannot provide for itself in combatting child sex trafficking.
2015 – Tim is featured on the front cover of Church-owned LDS Magazine, with a multi-page article featuring him and Operation Underground Railroad. The article strongly suggests the Church endorses Tim and OUR.
2016 – Tim publishes, via Deseret Book, The Washington Hypotheses “A Modern-Day
Abolitionist Explores the Possible Connection Between The American Covenant, Latter- Day Temples, and George Washington.” This became a Best Seller and was sold by Deseret Book until the Church’s defamatory statement.
2018 – Tim publishes, via Shadow Mountain/Deseret Book, Slave Stealers – True Accounts of
Slave Rescues Then and Now (Forward by NFL Head Coach Mike Tomlin). This became a Best Seller and was sold by Deseret Book until the Church’s defamatory statement.
2020 – Tim publishes, via Church-owned Covenant Communications, The Pilgrim Hypotheses
“Exploring the Possible Connections Between the Restoration of the Gospel, The Gathering of Israel, and the Pilgrims Who Founded America.” This became a Best Seller and was sold by Deseret Book until the Church’s defamatory statement.
2022 December to May 2023 – Female (JJ) begins heavily pursuing position to work with Tim
Ballard and become his couples ruse partner on operations. Ultimately she is rejected from operations after seeking an inappropriate, personal relationship with Tim, which was against all protocol. Having been rejected and scorned, she resorted to false reports to OUR and Church officials about purported misconduct by Tim. Appendix A for more details.
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2023, March 17 – Angel Studios signs a deal to acquire the distribution rights to Sound of Freedom.
2023, June – Tim agreeably separates from OUR due to unfounded, unproven, and false allegations
of sexual impropriety by a female former ops partner who, documented communication shows, was enamored and obsessed with Tim (refer again to Appendix A). OUR agrees to pay Tim hundreds of thousands of dollars as severance. As early as December 2022, Tim had already begun discussions with the board to separate with OUR so he could focus on Sound of Freedom and other related projects, so he didn’t feel the fight against JJ was worth it. (In 2019, Tim had voluntarily separated from OUR to pursue other interests, until OUR begged him to return in 2020, as OUR was “falling apart” without him.)
2023, July 4 – Sound of Freedom premieres to the public in theaters. It is a dramatization based
on actual missions which goes on to break many box office records. Tim’s work of saving children from sex trafficking becomes widely known, opening up many hopeful avenues to expand efforts to expose trafficking rings and dismantle worldwide trafficking networks.
2023, July-August – For a brief period of time, the movie and its main character Tim Ballard are
publicly and widely showered with accolades, and many people are energized to help battle sex trafficking. The following politically related events also occur:
While Tim was at President Trump’s home in Bedminster, President Trump asked Tim to run for senate in Utah to fill the seat being vacated by Mitt Romney, and, to help Trump campaign for president, with Tim focusing on the anti-trafficking and border issues that Trump supports. Shortly after the meeting, Tim interviewed President Trump for Tim’s podcast.
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– Senator Mike Lee also asked Tim to run for the senate seat, and vowed to help him campaign. – AG Sean Reyes also endorsed and vowed to support Tim in a run for senate. – By early September, 2023, the facts that Tim was considering a run for the senate and was supporting President Trump’s campaign were leaked to the public (initially via the Sean Spicer Show). – The day after the Sean Spicer Show disclosures about Tim, Tim’s family received a credible tip that up to $10 million had been committed to Axiom Strategies to smear Tim to ensure he is never elected and is unable to help President Trump get elected. (Axiom Strategies is known as a group that has orchestrated much of the legal attacks on President Trump in recent years). – The fruits of what may have been Axiom’s destructive efforts hit quickly and forcefully.
2023, July-September – Sources confirm that a number of women approach the Church to report Tim’s alleged immoral conduct.
2023, September 15 – The first public statement ever about allegations of “morally unacceptable” conduct by Tim came from the Church. Specifically, Doug Anderson of Church Communications releases the following statement:
President Ballard and Tim Ballard (no relation) established a friendship a number of years ago. That friendship was built on a shared interest in looking after God’s children wherever they are and without regard to their circumstance. However, that relationship is in the past. For many months, President Ballard has had no contact with the founder of Operation Underground Railroad (OUR). The nature of that relationship was always in support of vulnerable children being abused, trafficked, and otherwise neglected. 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. President Ballard never authorized his name, or the name of the Church, to be used for Tim’s personal or financial interests. In addition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints never endorsed, supported or represented OUR, Tim Ballard or any projects associated with them. President Ballard loves children, all over the world. It has been his mission and life’s work to look after them, care for them, and point them to their Savior.
– CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS MEDIA RELATIONS DIRECTOR DOUG ANDERSEN, 9/15/23
This statement was released directly to anti-Church Vice News, as well as Church-owned Deseret News and KSL, and other media outlets, and was published with no warning to or prior discussion with Tim. Tim learned of it after it had been widely published, while he was in the Eastern United States conducting an American Covenant Tour, passionately testifying to crowds of the divine nature of the Book of Mormon, and its influence in the
foundational principles of the covenant land in America. He was shocked by news that the Church he had consecrated his entire life to published a false hit piece attacking his character.
The Church presumably profited from the false statement through its related entities, Deseret News and KSL, via views and clicks of advertisements on the story’s page.
Appendix B details the falsehoods in this statement.
Appendix C details some of the devastating impact on Tim, Katherine, their family, and their mission to rescue God’s children from sex slavery, that resulted from the defamatory September 15 statement, and shows how the statement has been widely published and republished multiple times, including in nearly every lawsuit and legal hearing Tim has been forced to participate in.
The statement has been published and republished multiple times. Appendix E cites examples. It has been cited repeatedly by the multiple women and one man who were emboldened by the statement to falsely sue not only Tim, but also Katherine and many others associated with Tim. It emboldened Tim’s executive assistant to use her login credentials to access Tim’s and OUR’s confidential electronic documents, including clearly-marked attorney-client privileged documents, and not only file them publicly with the Utah courts, but also to release them to the media and blast them to the entire world. The false statement emboldened all opportunists to believe Tim and his family were about to be annihilated, and that any means to finalize that annihilation were acceptable. Note that, if the women were truly assaulted by Tim (they were not), why would they need to sue his innocent wife Katherine and others? The only reason to do so is to take down the entire enterprise to the benefit of traffickers and their clientele, and to the tragic harm of enslaved, innocent children.
2023, September 15 – Katherine Ballard called Elder Ballard. Elder Ballard denied any knowledge of the Church statement, and confirmed he had never felt betrayed by Tim and did not sever the relationship.
2023, September 17 – New Stake President Jared Hall, is called to preside over Tim’s stake. It may be noted that Tim met very frequently with the prior stake president to seek counsel and guidance as one of Tim’s spiritual advisors who had been with him through his tenure as stake president.
2023, September 21 – Tim, who was in California for business, was notified he had to be in Utah for a disciplinary council meeting to take place September 25. He requested the hearing be rescheduled to accommodate his schedule, as the Church handbook allows, but the request was denied.
2023, September 24 – Matt Cooper called Elder Ballard. Elder Ballard denied any knowledge of the Church statement, and confirmed he had never felt betrayed by Tim and did not sever the relationship.
2023, September 25 – In the early morning hours before the discipline council, Celeste Borys, who will later be induced to join other women in falsely claiming “assault” by Tim, writes a letter to Church officials confirming, among other things, that “I have been working with Tim Ballard for almost one year. I have felt safe being Tim’s partner in every operation I have been on; I have never been taken advantage of. He has always respected me and all the other operators around me. Tim has devoted much of his life to helping everyone around him.”
2023, September 25 – A “disciplinary council” was held involving only stake presidency members. The stake clerk was not present. Tim was not informed he could request the participation of the high council. Tim was given no information in advance of any allegations, and minimal information at the hearing. Many policies clearly established in the Church’s General Handbook, Section 32, were disregarded. The council was not held with love.
Appendix D is a September 15, 2024 Letter from the Ballards to the Church, detailing the proceedings of what seemed (and still seems) to have been a pre-determined, unjust, defamatory council, and which completely defies and disobeys LDS canonized scripture, as found in Doctrine and Covenants, Section 102. It should be noted that, because President Hall refused to give any details about the allegations (thus making it impossible for Tim and Katherine to defend themselves), he stated that all he needed to justify the excommunication was the September 15, 2023 Church statement, which he declared, without proof, came directly from President Nelson.
2023, September 27 – Church sends letter to Tim announcing decision that his “membership be withdrawn . . . for repeated violations of the law of chastity and conduct unbecoming a member of The Church.” The letter promises: “The outcome and decision of the membership council will be kept confidential among your bishop and local leaders.”
Podcasters, one claiming up to ten sources from within the Church, reported of the excommunication before the letter reached the Ballards. One showed a “screenshot” of the Ballard family within the confidential Church Tools database, which showed Katherine Ballard as “head of household” and did not list Tim, which they claimed proved the excommunication occurred. Anti-Mormon podcaster, John Dehlin, publicly announces that he received a copy of the excommunication letter from a well-known LDS Church official.
The specifics of who leaked what to whom, how, and when will be determined through appropriate depositions and other discovery mechanisms.
2023, September 28 – Attorney Suzette Rasmussen holds a press conference on the Utah state capital grounds, claiming she represents unnamed and unnumbered women who falsely claim to have been groomed and manipulated by Tim and OUR.
2023, End September to Early October – Celeste Borys accesses Tim’s emails without authorization, takes multiple attorney-client and confidential communications, and later publishes them to the world. She is facing sanctions proceedings and potential criminal charges as a result.
2023, October 9 – Five women, through attorneys Suzette Rasmussen and Alan Mortensen, file a lawsuit against Tim, OUR, and many others associated with them (the strategy appears to have been to bully and/or bribe associates to make false allegations, and sue them if they refused). They even sued “Children Need Families Foundation,” a non-profit headed by Katherine Ballard to provide funding and assistance for adoption of vulnerable children to loving families. See Appendix D Appeal Letter for specifics about this and other lawsuits, claims in which have been discredited. The lawsuit alleges “the Mormon Church excommunicated Ballard.”
2023, October 10 – Celeste Borys (who already admitted Tim did nothing wrong) and her husband (from whom she was seeking a divorce), through attorneys Suzette Rasmussen and Alan Mortensen, file a lawsuit against Tim. The allegations have been discredited. See Appendix D.
2023, October 15 – Tim and Katherine Ballard submit a detailed Appeal letter to the First Presidency (which was later updated and edited via the September 15, 2024 Appeal letter to the First Presidency).
2023, December 6 – Celeste Borys files amended complaint, now also suing Katherine Ballard, Tim’s wife, for allegedly conspiring with Tim to sexually assault and defraud Celeste and her husband, and other frivolous claims which were ultimately dismissed. They did so because, as they allege, Katherine had the gall to defend her husband against false allegations and to “appear on the Rod Arquette Show” to discuss her opinions and knowledge. Anyone who speaks out in favor of Tim’s innocence gets sued.
2024, February 23 – Moya, a now convicted sex trafficker, using the same attorneys who have represented all other false accusers, sued Tim, Katherine, and others for defamation and other claims for saying things that purportedly implied Moya was what she was – a sex trafficker. Katherine was dismissed and the others soon will be in light of Moya’s conviction and failed appeal.
2024, September 15 – Tim and Katherine submit the Appendix D updated Appeal Letter. The date of this appeals letter was not a coincidence.
documented in the enclosed, signed statement (See Appendix F)
Church of Jesus Christ of LDS March 25, 2025 Page 7 2024, October 27 – Tim agreed to a meeting request from his stake president, Jared Hall. Tim brought his ministering brothers with him, and President Hall reacted violently, insisting that Tim was not allowed to have anyone with him in a meeting. The incident is
As to President Hall’s conduct, the handbook specifically allows for Tim to bring someone with him for such a meeting. President Hall insists he was not bound by the handbook during the “disciplinary council” (which really was not a disciplinary council) or during the interview. President Hall apparently believes he had the authority to override the canonized scripture found in D&C 102 regarding disciplinary councils.
2025, February – Charlie Smith, counselor to the stake president, Jared Hall, had previously insisted repeatedly that the stake president had independently judged that Tim needed to be excommunicated. Tim and his team had convincing indications to the contrary. In February, Charlie Smith confirmed the same. Specifically, he came to Tim and Tim’s former bishop Mark Stott, and tearfully confessed he and others had lied to them regarding the highly questionable “disciplinary council”. He admitted the stake presidency was instructed by higher-up Church officials to excommunicate Tim, and to pretend it was the stake president’s decision to do so. Apparently, they were told to disregard the handbook (and D&C 102). Bishop Mark Stott will attest to this conversation.
Developments in the multiple cases filed against Tim and others are all favorable to Tim. We strongly believe they will eventually crater. Tim’s claims against his defamers are strong and are likely to prevail. Furthermore, Tim has been asked to provide information as a witness in multiple countries, including inside the state of Utah, in ongoing criminal investigations against several of the accusers and their attorneys. Crimes being investigated include, for examples, computer crimes (accessing and publishing confidential data without authorization), perjury, bribery, and being accomplices to child trafficking. Charges appear to be imminent.
The Ballards have not yet sued the Church, nor do they wish to. They remain faithful. They attend church regularly. Katherine works at the temple. Tim goes to the temple with Katherine once per week, and sits in the waiting room while Katherine attends. They have a son out on a mission. The Church is sacred to them and to their family, and they have not wanted to sue. But they have been through the jaws of hell, and have waited a long time for proper treatment from the Church. That treatment has not manifested. To the contrary, Doug Anderson recently “doubled down” on the statement to reporter Nancy Ross, who is now working with Fox News on a breaking story about all of the above. Lionsgate has indicated it is working on a multi-episode docuseries about this entire story. Though Tim and Katherine did not approach Lionsgate, they agreed to be interviewed, to defend their good names and their mission to rescue children. Tim has no creative control nor will he be compensated for his participation. How the church will be portrayed in these stories is up to Lionsgate, and may turn on what decisions the Church makes now.
In the meantime, the facts that are rising to the surface are highly concerning, and are of great importance to both Fox News and Lionsgate. Recently, a lawsuit was filed by Pedro Florez in Utah against the attorneys who have been suing Tim (Alan Mortensen and Suzette Rasmussen) and against Celeste Borys. Among other things, Mr. Florez claims he was coerced and defrauded
Church of Jesus Christ of LDS March 25, 2025 Page 8 by the Defendants in attempts to convince him Tim had done bad things, even though Mr. Florez had been rescued from trafficking years ago by Tim’s efforts; he claims they attempted to bribe him to sue Tim and others, and then he was placed in danger when he refused the bribe. We suggest you pull a copy of that complaint and review it. It includes allegations that Mr. Florez was raped by the LDS missionary who baptized him at age 9 (note: Tim pleaded with Mr. Florez to leave the Church name out of his filing, and thus the filing does not mention that the missionary was with the Church). We understand Colombian authorities have requested records from the Church to determine who baptized Mr. Florez, and that the Church has claimed the baptismal records exist but do not disclose the name of the baptizing elder. Colombian authorities are now investigating the Church for a possible cover-up for a dangerous pedophile. We understand this may result in legal action against the Church by Colombian authorities to discover that information.
The Ballard family is now resolute in their belief that, barring a prompt public retraction of the defamatory statement and an appropriate settlement, suing the Church is the best way to help resolve these highly concerning issues, and right any wrongs that are occurring within the walls of the Church. The Ballard family does so in the spirit of locking arms with the Church and fighting what hopefully will be viewed as a common enemy, as the Ballards believe the Church has been victimized both by people from within and from outside the Church. The Ballard family wishes to privately settle these issues with the Church prior to a lawsuit being filed, in a way that will protect the reputation of the Church, fully resolve past issues, and eliminate the risk of the same problems arising again in the future.
Very truly yours, Mark L. Eisenhut For Call & Jensen A Professional Corporation Attorneys for Tim and Katherine Ballard
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APPENDIX “A” TO CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION DETAILS OF FALSE ALLEGATIONS BY INITIAL COMPLAINANT
2022, December – Female (JJ) begins heavily pursuing position to work with Tim Ballard and
become his couples ruse partner on operations.
2023, January – JJ persistently and passionately requests to become couples ruse partner of Tim
on an operation.
2023, January 28-February 2 – Tim via undercover persona Brian Black dirty texts with JJ to
train JJ for how to talk on ops, and to test if JJ is able to handle the vile language of the dark sex trafficking world.
2023, February 8 – JJ, now on an op in Cozumel, MX as Tim’s couples ruse partner, breaks from
role, proclaims her love for Tim, tells Tim they are going to blend their families, etc. Tim reaches drastic conclusion that operation has to be canceled as JJ is far to great of a risk. Discreetly to avoid alarming JJ, Tim informs undercover team to abort the operation, performs hours of counter surveillance to avoid detection while making his way back to the safe house, and the mission is ultimately successfully aborted. It was aborted because of JJ.
2023, February 20 – JJ texts that she “Can’t wait to work with” Rachel Ballard, who is Tim’s
assistant and daughter-in-law.
2023, March 16 – JJ texts Tim noting that she knows he is dropping his wife off at the LA Airport,
and asks to talk with him after. JJ blows up Tim’s phone trying to talk with him. Based on communications she had with others, JJ likely was concerned that Tim was conducting an operation with a different female ruse partner.
– In this general time frame, David Jacobs (DJ), who is in the process of possibly getting a divorce, tells Tim he has a crush on JJ.
2023, March 17 – Angel Studios signs a deal to acquire the distribution rights to Sound of Freedom.
Sound of Freedom had been sidelined for years in Disney’s “do not release” cellar. Note: Sound of Freedom will start to expose to the entire world the vile, dark and despicable underworld of child sex trafficking. Pay attention to the events that unfold from here on,
as the Sound of Freedom breaks worldwide box office records, and then the champion of Sound of Freedom is engulfed in the jaws of hell, which was enabled almost single- handedly when influences from within Tim’s own church betrayed him, and defamed him to the world.
2023, March 20 – JJ leaves VM for Tim, including the following: “I know I’ve been blowing up
your phone lately, and I’m annoyed with myself. … I know you know this has been heavy for me. … I had so many thoughts come to my mind over the last few hours…and they feel inspired. … What we experienced was so much light, and then when it was over we just hid it. … But maybe there’s something we can be doing with it now, that we SHOULD be doing with it now … It’s not the same as whatever’s coming. … And then…ops. … I just want you to know I’m open to that still, too. I know…there’s some things from last time that maybe you felt like this isn’t the right place for JJ.”
– Tim responds via text, indicating he is no longer doing any ops (trying not to cause JJ to think she’s been rejected). Tim notes: “You think I’m doing ops like I was before, even though I said I was not. I’m guessing u think that because Mike asked u to order henna.” – JJ responds: “… You’re right that ordering henna for you and a female did seem that way, but I didn’t at all see it as you going against what you said you were going to do before. I know that you will always do what you are called to do by God. … I trust you. And I will never see you as deceitful in any way. … I would really love to talk anytime and am serious I will drive down just for that. Just tell me when.”
2023, March 22 – JJ talks with Janet Russon, discloses her belief that God told her she will marry
Tim. Janet suggests she prepare for the possibility that such marriage will never happen.
2023, March 24 and on – JJ continues to press to be a couples ruse partner again with Tim.
JJ, without telling Tim, goes to London with DJ, does “practice” as ruse partner at strip clubs, etc. (When Tim later learns of this, he views it as totally unauthorized and inappropriate, especially because DJ is not an actual operator and there was no law enforcement involved, as is always required.)
–
2023, Early April – After the London trip (which Tim did not know about), DJ invites Tim to go
to the gym with him. DJ reveals to Tim that he went to London with JJ. Tim was shocked, asked why he’d do that, told DJ that JJ is “crazy.” DJ said he saw JJ as a beat up housewife who needed a break, so he invited her. Tim suspects they had relations in London.
At some point after gym, JJ tells Tim she went to London, was concerned about breaking couples ruse rules.
–
2023, April 10 – Tim voicemail exchanges with JJ. Tim, assuming JJ is concerned because of
breaking “rules” with DJ or others while in London, tells JJ he was concerned she went
to London without telling Tim, but tries to help JJ feel better by explaining the “rules” are just meant to protect against liability and she need not worry if she broke them. JJ says she went to London because she “knew” she was supposed to go, claims she mentioned it to Tim before going (she didn’t). She says the concern about the rules is not a big concern, just a small issue, and there are more important issues she really wants to talk with Tim about.
2023, April 10 – JJ texts Tim. She claims to be “divinely guided. . . I need you to hear me out
on all of it. . . . I would never bring anything to you that I didn’t feel God was asking of me. I’m driving down today. Not for work. No one knows I’m coming. But we need to talk in person. And in private. I rented an Airbnb in American Fork . . .”
Tim did not agree to meet privately with JJ. He reported the situation to trusted friends and family, and to the Utah County Sheriff, asking for protection of his home, with particular worry that his wife Katherine could be targeted in light of the passionate claims by JJ that she and Tim were to marry and blend their families.
Celeste Borys writes to JJ, accusing her of lying. Celeste is upset because JJ was acting jealous of Celeste, manipulating and lying about Celeste, making it sound like Celeste was having inappropriate contact with Tim on operations as his couples ruse partner. Celeste says these are lies.
– –
2023, April 11 – JJ, Tim, and Janet meet at public office with David Jacobs outside the office
door. Tim has concerns now that JJ may start claiming Tim did inappropriate things with JJ. Tim says to JJ, if there is anything you believe we did that is inappropriate, any sexual contact, any breaking of covenants, please say it here in front of Janet. JJ assures Janet they did not. At end of meeting, Tim leaves, quietly asks Janet to ask JJ the same question again outside of Tim’s presence. Janet confirms she did ask JJ again, and JJ reconfirmed she and Tim never had any sexual contact whatsoever.
However, after this meeting, it was clear to JJ that there was no possibility of a relationship with Tim. JJ is now a woman scorned, and knowing further pursuit of a passionate love affair with Tim is futile, she turns her attention to the energies exhibited thousands of years ago by Potiphar’s wife against Joseph of Egypt.
–
2023, April 24 – Tim instructs Matt Osborne to immediately remove JJ from access to the travel
platform. He is upset that someone, likely JJ, took his assistant (and current couples ruse partner) Celeste off of the platform. JJ likely removed Celeste out of jealousy, as JJ was “stalking” Tim via tracking his flights and travel plans.
2023, April 25-29 time frame – JJ claims to OUR’s HR department that Tim allegedly
manipulated her into having inappropriate sexual contact with him. She claims that all she wants is for Tim to be removed from doing any further operations. This would likely calm
her jealous concerns of him being on operations with other women. This false allegation will soon mushroom into much more.
2023, June – OUR agrees to pay Tim hundreds of thousands of dollars as severance, and Tim
agrees to pursue new endeavors, including continuing to encourage support of OUR and its operations. Tim chose not to “fight” the JJ allegations, as he had already been planning to separate from OUR (he had done so once prior, and came back at OUR’s urgent requests). Tim wanted to pursue other projects, including his promotional tours for Sound of Freedom.
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APPENDIX “B” TO CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION
Full Statement issued on 9/15/23 to VICE Magazine and later repeated via numerous local and national television, print, and electronic media outlets, with reference to the Church issuing the statement:
President Ballard and Tim Ballard (no relation) established a friendship a number of years ago. That friendship was built on a shared interest in looking after God’s children wherever they are and without regard to their circumstance. However, that relationship is in the past. For many months, President Ballard has had no contact with the founder of Operation Underground Railroad (OUR). The nature of that relationship was always in support of vulnerable children being abused, trafficked, and otherwise neglected. 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. President Ballard never authorized his name, or the name of the Church, to be used for Tim’s personal or financial interests. In addition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints never endorsed, supported or represented OUR, Tim Ballard or any projects associated with them. President Ballard loves children, all over the world. It has been his mission and life’s work to look after them, care for them, and point them to their Savior. CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS MEDIA RELATIONS DIRECTOR DOUG ANDERSEN False Statements in the media release: Statement:
President Ballard and Tim Ballard (no relation) established a friendship . . . However, that relationship is in the past. For many months, President Ballard has had no contact with the founder of Operation Underground Railroad (OUR). . . .
False: Katherine Ballard spoke with Elder Ballard the day of the statement immediately after its release, and he was totally unaware of the statement, denied any involvement in it, and confirmed he had not felt betrayed by Tim. Nine days later, Matt Cooper had nearly the same conversation with Elder Ballard. Tim Ballard had spoken with Elder Ballard shortly before the statement came out.
Statement:
. . . it became clear Tim Ballard had betrayed their friendship, through the unauthorized use of President Ballard’s name for Tim Ballard’s personal advantage . . . False: Tim never betrayed the friendship, and Elder Ballard never said he felt betrayed. Tim received no “personal advantage” beyond Elder Ballard’s genuine friendship and support. Statement:
…and activity regarded as morally unacceptable . . . False: This reputation-destroying, financially ruining allegation was unfounded and has thus far been proven false. The multiple lawsuits referencing and emboldened by the Church’s statement regarding Tim’s immoral behavior, and Tim’s leaked excommunication as a supposed consequence of such behavior, have been dismissed one- by-one for various reasons, including lack of evidence, without proceeding to trial. Most of Tim’s accusers are women that had been cut from the OUR program or never made it on operations, facts which could have been reviewed with the Church had the Church consulted with Tim prior to issuing the statement. All indications are that another significant case, the hearing for which occurred a few months ago, is to be dismissed shortly, with significant perjury implications for Tim’s accuser. Statement:
President Ballard never authorized his name, or the name of the Church, to be used for Tim’s personal or financial interests. President Ballard, of his own volition, publicly discussed his strong support of Tim Ballard and his efforts to combat child sex trafficking, as well as the books he authored and the concepts set forth in them. Tim denies he ever used Elder Ballard’s name for seeking donations or any other financial benefit. The fact that Elder Ballard’s public support of Tim’s work may have resulted in additional support for Tim’s work against child sex trafficking cannot logically be construed as unauthorized use of Elder Ballard’s name.
Church of Jesus Christ of March 25, 2025 Page 3 Statement:
In addition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints never endorsed, supported or represented OUR, Tim Ballard or any projects associated with them. False: Following is a sampling of work Tim has done for the Church or entities owned by the Church. More projects can be named upon request. • Tim had multiple best-selling books published and/or sold by Deseret Book. (See the full timeline for release dates.) • He was a paid speaker at Time Out for Women multiple times. • He was on the cover of LDS Living Magazine. • M. Russell Ballard gave at least two public speeches discussing projects he was working on with Tim. • He consulted with and helped Elder Bednar write the dedicatory prayer for the Port-au- Prince, Haiti temple, and provided security for Elder Bednar at that event (at Tim’s own cost). • He consulted with Elder Renlund on charitable giving to help survivors of human trafficking.
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APPENDIX “C” TO CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION CATEGORIES OF HARM CAUSED BY THE FALSE STATEMENT
Lost Book Sales
Lost $1m Guaranteed Simon & Schuster Publishing Deal
Lost Speaking Engagements
Lost Sound of Freedom II Profits
Lost Donor Dollars for Rescuing Children
Extreme Emotional Harm to Tim
Extreme Emotional Harm to Katherine and Ballard Children
Financial Devastation/Deep Debt due to the Church-Statement-Fueled Lawsuits, with risk of bankruptcy, loss of personal residence, and related stress