Tim Ballard’s spokesperson refutes claims from “Sound of Freedom” lawsuit, previous suits

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Tim Ballard’s spokesperson is disputing claims made in a recent lawsuit — which attacks a character’s portrayal in the film “Sound of Freedom” — saying they are just another attempt at a “big payday.”

The most recent lawsuit against Tim Ballard was filed by a Colombian woman who claims a character based on her was portrayed in a “defamatory and slanderous” way in the film “Sound of Freedom.” The controversial independent film, which features Ballard as the main character, was an astounding box-office success in 2023 and was shown worldwide.

The lawsuit was filed this month by Kely Johana Suarez Moya and her mother, Luz Miriam Moya Solano, in Utah’s 3rd District Court. The suit states that one of the film’s characters, Katy Giselle, is portrayed as a locally known beauty-queen sex trafficker and was openly based on Moya. The suit claims the movie “has exposed [Moya] to hatred, contempt, or ridicule in the public eye.”

Angel Studios, which produced “Sound of Freedom,” is also named in Moya’s suit. ABC4.com reached out to Angel Studios for comment, but the studio has not responded on the record.

PREVIOUS STORY: Woman sues Tim Ballard, Angel Studios over ‘slanderous’ portrayal in ‘Sound of Freedom’

Ballard’s spokesperson, Chad Kolton, says Moya’s lawsuit and others filed against Ballard are “nothing more than an organized shakedown.”

Kolton provided ABC4.com with the following statement in response to the lawsuit:

The “Sound of Freedom” movie fictionalizes a real-life Colombian sting operation from 2014 in which Moya was arrested. The lawsuit states Moya was later released by habeas corpus and was never convicted of a crime.

However, Kolton claims the contrary, saying she is being prosecuted by Colombian authorities and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement identified her in a release about trafficking arrests.

The anti-human trafficking sting operation was centered on a fake sex party that Ballard and his associates allegedly fabricated to catch pedophiles and child traffickers and save victims. Colombian authorities were involved and made arrests following the arrival of the children and the exchange of money, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims Moya was not involved in planning the sex party, as Ballard says, but rather was invited to the party to get paid to have sex, as she was 20 years old but appeared to be much younger.

Kolton pointed to a video that was taken during the 2014 operation and later included in the film. The video shows Moya discussing the party with Ballard and the other undercover men posing as pedophiles.

At the end of the video, the men talk about sex with underaged girls and note the girls are young and inexperienced. When one man stumbles for words in asking the perceived pedophiles to be gentle with the girls, Moya asks them to use “delicacy” before laughing and saying “please.”

Kolton claims the video “raises questions about the veracity of the plaintiff’s claims in her suit,” in particular the claim that she did not help plan the party but was there as one of the “underaged” girls. He said the conversation discusses the girls in the plural sense and does not mention sex with Moya specifically.

Due to the pending litigation, Ballard’s legal team said they could not expand on the lawsuit’s other claims.

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This civil lawsuit is one of several others against Ballard. However, this is the first to focus on the “Sound of Freedom” film. Three lawsuits allege sexual assault and misconduct and another suit addresses the allegations of silencing witnesses of fraud and deception. Moya’s suit is the fifth currently before the courts.

Ballard has denied all allegations. The litigation is still pending and has yet to be presented in court.

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