A high-profile British football agent, Jonathan Barnett, is facing severe accusations of trafficking, torture, and rape in a lawsuit filed in a U.S. court. The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The unnamed plaintiff, referred to as "Jane Doe" in court documents, alleges that Barnett lured her from Australia to the United Kingdom in 2017 under the guise of a career opportunity, only to subject her to years of horrific abuse.
According to the lawsuit, Barnett, who was once named the "World's Most Powerful Sports Agent" by Forbes, promised Doe employment at CAA Stellar, his sports agency within Creative Artists Agency. The offer included covering moving expenses, sponsoring visas for her and her children, providing school tuition, housing, and a monthly salary. However, after Doe relocated to London with her children, Barnett allegedly trapped, threatened, and tortured her, holding her in bondage in various locations worldwide, including Los Angeles, between 2017 and 2023.
The complaint details disturbing allegations of sexual coercion and violence. Doe claims that Barnett told her he "owned" her and demanded she call him "my Master". She alleges that he repeatedly raped and assaulted her, using his power and threats to maintain control. The lawsuit also accuses Barnett of demanding degrading acts from Doe, including forcing her to send videos of herself drinking her own urine, licking the toilet, eating feces, and whipping herself as "punishment". It is claimed that Barnett punched, kicked, stomped on her fingers, and whipped her, insisting she document the injuries and send him the videos and photos via his company phone. The lawsuit states that Doe still suffers from urinary tract infections, skin rashes, mouth ulcers, and abnormal vaginal bleeding as a result of the alleged abuse.
The lawsuit further alleges that Barnett referred to Doe as "slave" and other demeaning names like "dog" or "whore". Doe states that Barnett made repeated threats to her life and the lives of her minor children. "Realizing she was powerless against a dangerous predator, Ms. Doe submitted to Barnett in order to avoid being severely beaten or even killed," the lawsuit states.
Barnett has denied the allegations, stating that they "have no basis in reality and are untrue". He has vowed to "vigorously defend this lawsuit through the appropriate legal process" and is "looking forward to being entirely vindicated and exonerated".
CAA has also responded to the allegations, stating they first learned of the allegations in 2024 through a press inquiry and settlement demands from Doe's attorney. The company stated that Doe was never an employee, consultant, or contractor of CAA, ICM, or Stellar, nor did she have any business connection to these entities. CAA has urged Doe to contact law enforcement in the United Kingdom. Barnett exited Stellar in February 2024. The lawsuit also names Hollywood talent firm Creative Artists Agency and sports agency CAA Stellar as defendants. The suit argues that Barnett "was either operating in plain sight or defendants chose willful blindness to obvious red flags of Barnett's human rights abuses" and that "either scenario is reprehensible".
Jonathan Barnett has previously faced disciplinary action. In 2006, he had his agent's license revoked for 18 months, with nine months suspended, and was fined £100,000 for his role in a "tapping-up" scandal involving Ashley Cole's transfer to Chelsea.
It's important to note that these are allegations presented in a civil lawsuit. The legal process will determine the veracity of the claims.
