High-Profile Sports Agent Jonathan Barnett Faces Serious Rape Allegations

A civil lawsuit against Jonathan Barnett alleges he raped a woman numerous times over six years, subjected her to torture, and wielded coercive control under threats. Barnett, known for his prominence in the sports industry, denies these allegations, asserting their baselessness.

High-profile British sports agent Jonathan Barnett has come under fire as he faces severe allegations of rape and human trafficking in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles. The unnamed plaintiff, referred to as "Jane Doe," claims that Barnett raped her over 39 times during a six-year period, from 2017 to 2023, asserting that he effectively kept her as a "sex slave."

In the civil suit lodged at a US district court, Doe alleges that Barnett lured her from Australia to the UK, where he exerted control over her through various forms of intimidation and torture. Claiming Barnett threatened her life and the safety of her children, she describes a pattern of abuse that she states included forced degradation and confinement.

Barnett, 75, who has represented high-profile footballers such as Gareth Bale and Jack Grealish, vehemently denies the allegations, labeling them as entirely unfounded. His legal team has announced plans to contest the lawsuit vigorously, expressing confidence in his eventual vindication.

The complaint details how Doe first connected with Barnett through a professional athlete in the '90s and subsequently met him again in person in 2017. Shortly after, she relocated to the UK with her children, with Barnett's sports agency covering her moving expenses. Upon arrival, it is alleged that he told her he "owned" her and began the cycle of abuse.

Doe’s accusations extend to the Hollywood talent firm Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and CAA Stellar, where Barnett previously served as executive chairman. The court documents suggest that these agencies failed to investigate suspicious payments made to Doe during her time with Barnett, despite her not being an athlete or agent.

Barnett is accused of using his influence to maintain coercive control over Doe, who reportedly felt she had no choice but to comply with his demands out of fear for her and her children's safety. Doe’s attorneys assert that the case represents "institutional abuse at the highest level," and they are pursuing compensation on her behalf.

CAA has distanced itself from the allegations, stating that Doe was never an employee or associated with their agencies and emphasized that they take such claims very seriously. They indicated that they were first made aware of these allegations when Doe's legal team approached them with settlement demands last year.