Jonathan Barnett, one of the most prominent sports agents in the world, is facing serious allegations in a civil lawsuit filed in the United States. The 75-year-old British agent, known for representing high-profile footballers such as Gareth Bale and Jack Grealish, has been accused of raping a woman more than 39 times, as well as subjecting her to years of abuse, trafficking, and coercion.
The civil complaint, filed in a U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, was brought by an unnamed woman identified as “Jane Doe.” In the filing, Doe claims that Barnett trafficked her from Australia to the United Kingdom in 2017 and kept her as a “sex slave” for more than six years. She alleges that she endured repeated sexual assaults, psychological torment, and physical abuse, including being denied food and water, tied up overnight, and forced to ingest bodily waste.
The lawsuit also accuses Barnett of making repeated threats to her life and to the lives of her minor children. According to court documents, the woman first met Barnett in the 1990s through a professional athlete in London and reconnected with him in 2017 via online communication. Shortly thereafter, she claims she relocated to the UK with her teenage children, with moving expenses allegedly covered by CAA Stellar—the sports agency then led by Barnett.
Upon her arrival, the lawsuit states, Barnett told her he “owned” her and immediately raped her in a hotel room. The complaint alleges he then imposed strict and degrading rules, including requiring her to refer to him as “My Master” and forbidding her from expressing pain or resistance. Over the years, she claims, he exerted coercive control using his wealth, influence, and threats of violence.
The alleged abuse is said to have occurred in multiple locations around the world, including Los Angeles, between 2017 and 2023. The lawsuit describes a pattern of control and psychological manipulation, stating: “Realising she was powerless against a dangerous predator, Ms. Doe submitted to Barnett in order to avoid being severely beaten or even killed.”
The civil suit also names talent agencies Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and CAA Stellar, where Barnett served as Executive Chairman until his retirement in 2023, as co-defendants. It accuses the companies of institutional negligence, claiming they ignored or failed to detect large payments made to the woman over a six-year period, despite her having no professional connection to their operations. The complaint alleges that Barnett referred to her as “slave” in emails sent from his work account.
In response to the allegations, Barnett has strongly denied any wrongdoing. A statement issued by his legal team said: “These charges 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.”
CAA also issued a statement, noting that it first became aware of the allegations last year after receiving a settlement demand from the woman’s lawyers and press inquiries. The agency emphasized that Jane Doe has never been employed by or professionally associated with CAA, ICM, or Stellar, and stated that it urged her legal representatives to contact law enforcement in the United Kingdom.
The lawsuit is seeking financial compensation and frames the case as a harrowing example of “institutional abuse at the highest level.”
As legal proceedings unfold, the case is drawing widespread attention due to Barnett’s prominent standing in the global sports industry. He was ranked by Forbes as the world’s most powerful sports agent in 2019.
No criminal charges have been filed as of now.
