A federal judge dismissed one woman’s sexual abuse claims against anti-trafficking activist Tim Ballard on Monday after she illegally collected roughly 100 personal documents from his email and cloud storage accounts. Five other accusers remain in the lawsuit.
Celeste Borys worked as Tim Ballard’s personal assistant at Operation Underground Railroad, the organization he founded to rescue human trafficking victims. She and five other women say Ballard forced them into sexual acts under the guise of undercover operations to infiltrate trafficking rings.
U.S. District Judge ruled Borys improperly obtained evidence against Ballard while still employed as his assistant. She resigned in September 2023, three months after Ballard left OUR amid sexual assault allegations and an internal investigation.
How the Evidence Scheme Unraveled
Court documents show Borys used her access as Ballard’s personal assistant to download approximately 100 documents from his private email and cloud storage before leaving the organization. She initially filed her lawsuit in state court.
The judge’s dismissal addresses only Borys’s discovery misconduct—not the merits of her sexual abuse allegations. The ruling removes her from the federal case but leaves five other women’s claims intact.
What Accusers Say Ballard Did
The plaintiffs allege Ballard used a tactic he called “couples ruse” to justify sexual contact during undercover operations. They claim he required female operatives to participate in sexual acts as part of infiltrating sex trafficking networks, then used the strategy as cover to groom and assault women who worked for him.
Operation Underground Railroad gained national attention for its work exposing trafficking rings through infiltration and deception. Ballard’s profile rose further after the 2023 film “Sound of Freedom” dramatized his rescue operations.
Ballard resigned from OUR in June 2023 as accusations surfaced and the organization launched its misconduct investigation. He has not been criminally charged.
What Happens Next
The five remaining accusers will proceed with their federal lawsuit. Borys could potentially refile in state court, though her evidence collection methods may complicate any future litigation.
The case tests whether nonprofit leaders who position themselves as moral crusaders face the same accountability as anyone else when employees accuse them of sexual misconduct. The answer for Ballard remains unresolved in federal court.
Key Points
- Federal judge dismissed Celeste Borys from lawsuit after she illegally took 100 documents from Tim Ballard’s personal accounts while working as his assistant
- Five other women’s sexual abuse claims against the Operation Underground Railroad founder remain active in federal court
- Accusers say Ballard forced them into sexual acts during undercover operations, using anti-trafficking work as cover for assault and grooming
https://www.courthousenews.com/anti-human-trafficking-activist-avoids-former-employees-sexual-abuse-claims/ – June 29, 2026
