18 hours ago
Top football agent denies rape and trafficking amid US lawsuit
Jonathan Barnett, who retired early last year having represented some of British football's biggest stars, vehemently denies allegations made in a claim to a California court and says they have no basis in reality
Jonathan Barnett has been accused of sex trafficking and rape in a civil case in the US. The former sports agent, who strenuously denies the allegations, is claimed to have trafficked a woman from Australia to London in the summer of 2017 after making initial contact on LinkedIn.
According to court documents, submitted in California and seen by Mirror Football, Barnett, 75, allegedly used the woman as 'a sex slave' for a number of years and left her with 'a chronic injury that will last her entire lifetime.'
The claim is calling for Barnett, who represented some of British football's biggest names before retiring suddenly in March last year, and the ICM Stellar agency to stand trial in front of a jury in a civil court for a range of allegations that fall under the American Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorisation Act.
In a statement Barnett said: 'The claims made in today's complaint against me have no basis in reality and are untrue. We will vigorously defend this lawsuit through the appropriate legal process. I am looking forward to being entirely vindicated and exonerated.'
Stellar are included in the claim because they allegedly 'knowingly conspired, aided and abetted, and facilitated Barnett's sex trafficking venture through actions that occurred in the state of California.' The agency did not respond to a request for comment.
Barnett is accused of telling the woman she must only refer to him as 'My Master' while overseeing alleged abuse that left the complainant 'tortured, injured, raped, and violently assaulted.'
The 63-page complaint includes graphic descriptions of alleged incidents involving urine and faeces.
It claims she was instructed to behave like a dog, would be handcuffed and forced to wear a tight collar, and 'her skin was often infected from the cuts, welts and bleeding' caused by physical abuse.
