Billionaire businessman and West Ham co-owner David Sullivan faces serious allegations of predatory behavior towards young models seeking work at his newspapers.
Billionaire businessman and West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan has been accused of predatory behavior towards young models seeking work at his newspapers, Daily Sport and Sunday Sport. The allegations, which span decades from the 1980s to the early 2000s, have led to Sullivan’s resignation from his post at the football club.
The accusations come from seven women who claim Sullivan pressured them for sexual favors during business meetings, suggesting it would aid their careers. Sullivan, now 77, has denied all allegations, stating he will sue any media outlet that repeats them.
Allegations of Exploitative Behavior
One of the alleged victims, identified as Florenceclaims that Sullivan ‘took away her innocence’ when she was pressured into sleeping with him in 1999. She was then 20 years old and seeking a career in glamour modeling.
According to her account, Sullivan suggested she would be one of his newspapers’ ‘regular girls’ if she agreed to have sex with him.
Another alleged victim, Sacha Wallrecalls a similar experience in 1998. She claims Sullivan tried to pressure her into a sexual encounter during what she believed would be a business meeting at his private home in Essex. Wall says she was instructed to undress to her underwear and was then propositioned by Sullivan, who allegedly asked for oral sex when she refused to sleep with him.
Sullivan’s Admission and Legal Implications
Separately, Sullivan has admitted to paying for sex in the 1990s with a girl he believed to be 16 or 17 years old. At the time, it was not illegal to pay for sex with a 16 or 17-year-old, as the law changed in 2003. Sullivan was in his 40s during this period.
The allegations have raised questions about what was known about Sullivan’s behavior within the football authorities. The investigation also highlights the power dynamics in the glamour modeling industry, where Sullivan was a powerful gatekeeper.
Sullivan’s Response and Resignation
In his resignation statement, Sullivan denied all allegations, describing them as ‘factually incorrect and entirely false.’ He stated that he would be suing the BBC for libel, along with any other media outlet that repeats the allegations. Sullivan’s resignation comes amid a potential boardroom power struggle at West Ham United, with Czech co-chairman Daniel Kretinsky reportedly harboring reservations about Sullivan’s sons replacing him.
The BBC and The Times have corroborated details in the women’s accounts using diary entries, police records, and interviews with friends and family. Despite the allegations, Sullivan has not been charged as a result of them.
