Sound of Freedom executive producer Paul Hutchinson is accused of groping a trafficking victim’s breasts during a sting operation in Mexico – days after the film’s hero, Tim Ballard, denied allegations of sexual misconduct.
- Hutchinson allegedly groped the girl in Cabo San Lucas in 2016
- VICE reports that he and others thought she was 16; he said he thought she was 18
- Tim Ballard, who inspired the film, was also accused of misconduct
- He denies the allegations and says they are tearing his family apart.
A producer of the controversial film The Sound of Freedom has been accused of groping the breasts of a young trafficking victim, just days after Tim Ballard, the anti-trafficking activist whose life inspired the film, denied other allegations of misconduct.
Paul Hutchinson, who was an early investor in the film, allegedly groped the girl’s breasts during a 2016 undercover operation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Hutchinson runs his own charity – the Child Liberation Foundation – and is the co-founder of Bridge Investment Group, which he says controls $40 billion in funds.
Paul Hutchinson, who was an early investor in the film, allegedly groped the girl’s breasts during a 2016 undercover operation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Hutchinson with Tim Ballard, the man whose own story inspired the film
At the time, he was working with Ballard at Operation Underground Railroad (OUR).
According to documents obtained by VICE who were part of an investigation into OUR and Ballard, he felt the girl’s breasts while he was in Mexico on a human trafficking case.
It’s unclear what exactly led to this, but VICE claims it was captured on video by OUR.
According to VICE, Hutchinson and others believed the girl was underage. He maintains, however, that he thought she was 18 and that he has an affidavit from the Mexican police attesting that she is an adult.
At the time, he and Ballard were activists with Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), fighting modern slavery and sex trafficking.
Now both men are accused of sexual misconduct against the women and girls they claim to be trying to protect through the organization.
According to VICE, Hutchinson did not always follow “best practices” when investigating human trafficking.
The outlet claims he sometimes posed as a sex tourist looking for young girls and asking them to be “mas fresca” compared to adults.
Ballard is played by Jim Caziel in the hit new movie about sex trafficking stings
Hutchinson insists he did nothing wrong. He and Ballard split several years ago, before the film became a Hollywood hit.
Ballard has been reprimanded by the Church of Latter-day Saints since the film made headlines. Many now believe he wanted to distance himself from him because of the allegations against him.
He was accused of exploiting seven women and taking advantage of a former Mormon while working for OUR. He resigned in light of the allegations, before they were made public.
Hutchinson did not immediately respond to inquiries from DailyMail.com.
Ballard, a former Homeland Security agent, has denied all allegations against him