Operation Underground Railroad

Operation Underground Railroad
AbbreviationO.U.R.
Named afterUnderground Railroad
FoundedOctober 2013
FounderTim Ballard
Founded atSalt Lake City, Utah
TypeNon-governmental organization, non-profit organization
46-3614979
FocusHumanitarian
HeadquartersAnaheim, California
Area served
Global
Key people
Tim Ballard (ex-CEO)
Tammy Lee (current CEO)
Matt Osborne (President and COO)
Websiteourrescue.org
An Operation Underground Railroad information tent in 2018

Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) is a nonprofit United States-based anti-sex trafficking organization founded in 2013 by Tim Ballard.[1] The organization has been criticized for its conduct during sting operations and has been accused of exaggerating claims regarding its work.[1][2] There have not been many verified rescues performed by the group, and the group's claims of rescues have misled donors and the public about what the group does.[3] The group claims to have conducted multiple sting operations, some outside the United States, and donated technological and monetary resources to law-enforcement agencies that combat sex trafficking.[1][4]

The group's founder, Tim Ballard, was the subject of an internal investigation in 2023 after multiple former employees accused him of "sexual harassment, spiritual manipulation, grooming, and sexual misconduct." Ballard resigned as CEO as a result of the investigation. Weeks later, the organization was named in two separate lawsuits, in which the plaintiffs accused Tim Ballard of sexual assault, grooming, and coercing women into sexual acts during O.U.R.'s sting operations.

In a December 2023 statement posted on its website, the organization said an independent law firm reached the conclusion that Ballard had "engaged in unprofessional behavior that violated OUR's policies and values."[5]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference vice was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Investigative reports question whether ex-Operation Underground Railroad CEO misled donors". Deseret News. September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  4. ^ Hartman, Taylor (October 22, 2021). "Claims of Utah group's involvement in child exploitation investigations under scrutiny". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  5. ^ Beal-Cvetko, Bridger. "Operation Underground Railroad announces new leadership after Tim Ballard ouster". www.ksl.com. Deseret Digital Media. Retrieved February 13, 2024.