Warning: this story includes descriptions of alleged sexual misconduct and explicit language
Multiple women have accused billionaire businessman and West Ham co-owner David Sullivan of abusing his power and exploiting them sexually, with some allegations dating back to when the women were teenagers.
The claims, involving seven women, were uncovered through a joint investigation by BBC Panorama and The Times, spanning several decades beginning in the 1980s. All accusers were in their late teens or early twenties and aspiring models seeking work at Sullivan's Daily and Sunday Sport newspapers.
They allege Sullivan engaged in sexually exploitative and predatory conduct, including pressuring them for sexual acts during business meetings, offering career advancement in exchange for sex or oral sex.
One accuser, identified as Florence (a pseudonym), stated she felt coerced into sexual activity despite her unwillingness.
Sullivan, aged 77, has categorically denied these allegations, which coincide with the period when he amassed wealth through pornography, newspapers, and football.
On Saturday, shortly after BBC Panorama and The Times announced the forthcoming publication of their investigation, Sullivan resigned as joint chair of West Ham. He stated his intention to concentrate on contesting what he described as "factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life," calling the investigation "fundamentally unfair."
It has also emerged that Sullivan admitted to paying for sex in the 1990s with a girl he believed to be 16 or 17 years old; Sullivan was in his 40s at the time. Paying for sex with 16- or 17-year-olds only became illegal in 2003.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Sullivan was a powerful gatekeeper for women pursuing careers in glamour modelling. Florence recounted that during a business meeting at his home, Sullivan told her she would become one of his newspapers' "regular girls" if she had sex with him.
At age 20, she attempted to refuse by making excuses, including being on her period, but Sullivan persuaded her into a bedroom where he initiated sex, she said. Sullivan's legal representatives have described her account as implausible.
Two women said they felt compelled to have sex with Sullivan to avoid jeopardizing their modelling careers and accused him of abusing his power. One stated,
"He was taking advantage of young people."
Another former model said she tried to leave a meeting after Sullivan propositioned her but found the door locked; he only released her after she raised her voice.
Most women wished to remain anonymous due to fear of Sullivan and potential repercussions.
Reporters corroborated details from their accounts using diary entries, police and other records, and interviews with friends and family confidants.
It was also revealed that eight women have reported Sullivan's conduct to the Metropolitan or Essex Police, including one woman involved in this investigation.
Sullivan denies all allegations and has never been charged in connection with them.
The investigation raises questions for football authorities regarding what was known about Sullivan's behaviour.
'He took away my innocence'
Florence said she met Sullivan in 1999 at a business meeting at his home arranged by the Sport's editor-in-chief Tony Livesey, now a BBC Radio 5 Live presenter.
Then a 20-year-old aspiring glamour model, she arrived at Sullivan's Essex mansion with her boyfriend, who waited elsewhere while she met Sullivan.
Florence could not recall every detail, such as her boyfriend's exact location, but remembered other aspects vividly. Her diary records the journey, including an early coach to London costing £14, followed by a train and taxi.
She was struck by the size and luxury of the home, while Sullivan was at his desk "wearing the scruffiest tracksuit."
Sullivan reviewed her modelling portfolio and asked her to "freshen up" in the bathroom. Florence said she was naive and needed clarification that this meant stripping to her underwear, which she did.
Sullivan said,
"I'll give you a little bit of work because you've taken the trouble,"but then told her in crude terms that if she had sex with him,
"then you'll be one of my regular girls."
He promised magazine covers and centrefolds, saying she would be one of his Sport girls.
Florence panicked and mentioned her boyfriend was outside, but Sullivan persisted, saying,
"It will only take a minute and he never has to know."
She tried to deter him by saying she was on her period. She recalled,
"He lifted his pinky in the air - his little finger - and he went, it's all right, I'll only put it in a little bit."
Sullivan then led her to a bedroom.
Florence said she did not want to have sex and is unsure how clearly she communicated this. She was in "pure panic mode" and is "99.999999%" sure she told him,
"I don't want to, I don't want to."However, she does not know if this was a whisper or louder.
Sullivan pulled down his jogging bottoms and penetrated her, Florence said.
Afterwards, he told her,
"Congratulations, you will be one of our new Sport girls and you're going to get lots of work."
Reflecting on the encounter, Florence questioned why she did not resist or call for help, believing she dissociated during the event and there was a "massive power imbalance."
She subsequently obtained work in the Sport as Sullivan had promised but said it made her feel "dirty," "disgusting," and as if she was being paid for what Sullivan had done to her.
Florence did not disclose the incident for many years and did not report it to police, doubting a glamour model would be believed.
She said the encounter contributed to a decline in her mental health, stating,
"He took away my innocence… I was very suicidal for many years. Up until very recently, I struggled with my mental health."
Reporters spoke to three people to whom Florence confided since 2018 and reviewed her diary entries, newspaper cuttings, and business cards supporting parts of her account.
Sullivan's lawyers described Florence's account as "implausible" given the layout of his house.
Livesey said he had "no recollection" of facilitating a phone call between a woman and Sullivan as Florence described and stated it was not part of his role to introduce anyone to Sullivan.
Livesey expressed sympathy for a potential victim but rejected any involvement, calling the allegation "abhorrent."
'Preyed on the vulnerable'
Sullivan has publicly boasted about his prolific sex life, once claiming to have slept with nearly 1,000 women in a year and admitting to hiring sex workers.
Despite this public image, there have been longstanding indications of more predatory behaviour. In the 1990s, he was nicknamed "No job/blow job," referencing his reputation for requesting oral sex from models in exchange for publication in his newspapers.
once quoted him saying,
"I've always said what's the point in owning a sweet shop if you can't eat a few sweets."
Some associates defend Sullivan. Nick Cracknell, a friend and former business partner, said it was "a very much accepted and well-known fact that David slept with a lot of women and he was very open about that."
However, the investigation found that some in the glamour modelling industry had concerns about Sullivan.
One modelling agent said he warned young models about Sullivan, while another said his company stopped sending models to Sullivan due to his "casting couch" reputation.
A third agent reportedly took a different approach, according to a woman identified as Rebecca. The female agent approached Rebecca on the street, promising a glamorous modelling career earning £1,000 a week in London.
After arriving, Rebecca said the agent told her she had to engage in sex work and that to model and appear in the Sport newspapers, she would need to have sex for money with Sullivan, described as a "very good friend."
Rebecca recalled Sullivan saying during their 1998 meeting,
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you,"before having anal sex with her. He then assured her he would "sort it out for you to go in the paper, don't worry about that."
Rebecca said she believed Sullivan "preyed on the vulnerable" and abused his power in "casting couch" situations. She said she was especially vulnerable due to being young, neurodivergent, and a prior sexual trauma victim.
She described the experience as the beginning of a "lonely, degrading, dark time" in her life.
Many women interviewed were new to the industry and unaware of Sullivan's reputation when invited to meetings.
Mia (a pseudonym), aged 20, said she attended a meeting at Sullivan's house expecting a discussion about work for the Sport.
She said Sullivan led her upstairs and it became clear he expected sex. He asked her to undress, and she complied feeling she had no choice if she wanted to appear in the paper.
"The door's shut and you're in someone's house… I was young, I didn't really know what to really do, to be honest," she said.
Sullivan had sex with her and afterwards gave her £50 from a safe without prior discussion of payment. Mia believes this was to silence her or discredit her as a sex worker.
She described the incident as an abuse of power, saying,
"It shouldn't have happened. He was taking advantage of young people."
Mia said she met Sullivan once more after the initial meeting, accompanied by another young woman who knew Sullivan would expect sex and went willingly to earn money.
Two women, one from the 1980s and one from the 1990s, said they were accompanied by their mothers when meeting Sullivan. Both accused him of attempting to pressure them into sex.
One, called Anna, entered a Sport competition in the 1990s at age 17, hoping to escape an abusive home. She attended an industry party with her mother as chaperone.
Anna said Sullivan told her he could make her a star if she gave him oral sex, while her mother was in the same room. She was scared and declined. Her photo was published but she was never offered paid work.
In the 1980s, another former model, Wendy, attended a business meeting at Sullivan's home with her mother. At about 20 years old, Wendy said Sullivan took her alone to an upstairs bedroom, asked her to strip, and said,
"If you want to get anywhere in this industry you need to sleep with me."
Wendy refused and does not recall being booked for any Sport jobs afterwards.
A teenage model named Beth was taken by her agent for an audition at Sullivan's house in the 1990s. She was sent upstairs alone, where Sullivan lay in bed wearing a dressing gown with his chest exposed.
He asked her to parade topless beside the bed. Beth, now a mother, reflected,
"God, that was such a vulnerable position that I put myself in as a young girl. The men had the power, didn't they?"
'Special friends'
Sacha Wall is the only alleged victim who chose to be named in connection with her account.
At 24, Wall was an emerging glamour model expecting a business meeting when she traveled to the Essex address given to her in 1998.
She discovered it was Sullivan's private home. Previously an insurance broker, she sought a career change and had reached Sullivan, who invited her to meet.
Wall recalled Sullivan was scruffily dressed in flip-flops, worn red shorts, and a T-shirt.
He reviewed her modelling portfolio, commenting "very nice, very nice" in a way that made her uncomfortable.
She was concerned when he asked her to go upstairs and undress to her underwear but agreed to show her figure for topless modelling work.
However, when Sullivan asked her to sit next to him, she put her bra back on and sat as far away as possible.
Sullivan told her a well-known glamour model was one of his "special friends" and she could have similar help if she became "one of his special friends."
Wall responded,
"If you think I'm going to sleep with you to get in the paper, you've got another thing coming."
Sullivan appeared shocked and asked,
"What, not even a blow job?"Wall said no.
She tried to leave but found the door locked. She swore and demanded he open it; Sullivan told her to calm down and said,
"You're going about it the hard way."He then unlocked the door, and she fled.
Wall later appeared in the Sport but was often assigned the worst jobs, including phone-in lines.
Two people confirmed Wall had told them about the incident, including one who said she was told on the day.
In 2023, Wall reported the incident to Essex Police, hoping to assist other women. Six months later, the force decided not to pursue the case.
Sullivan was arrested in 2008 by Essex Police on suspicion of sexual assault following a complaint by a 25-year-old woman; no charges were filed.
Essex Police recently reviewed several cases and upheld decisions not to bring charges due to insufficient evidence.
In one review, a victim requested reconsideration; police confirmed the original decision but a chief acknowledged a "missed opportunity" in not searching Sullivan's property for evidence.
Essex Police stated,
"Tackling violence against women and girls is a key focus for us and we take allegations of this nature very seriously."The Metropolitan Police also said it treats such allegations "extremely seriously" and will assess and investigate any evidence provided.
The allegations present a challenge for England's new football regulator, established last year with powers to investigate current owners' honesty and integrity.
Sullivan has been West Ham's largest shareholder since 2010 and previously co-owned Birmingham City for over 15 years. Before his resignation, he served as West Ham's co-chairman throughout his ownership.
The Football Association launched a safeguarding investigation into Sullivan in recent years. An FA spokesperson said it has a "robust safeguarding programme" and takes all allegations seriously but cannot comment on individual cases.
Last year, West Ham became the first Premier League club accredited by the charity White Ribbon UK for efforts to support ending male violence against women and girls.
Baroness Karren Brady, then West Ham vice-chair, said the club was "committed to creating a culture where harmful behaviour is called out." Brady, who has worked with Sullivan for decades and appears on BBC One's The Apprentice, stepped down from her vice-chair role last month as West Ham was relegated.
West Ham stated it has clear safeguarding measures and cannot comment on individual safeguarding matters as per industry practice.
In his resignation statement, Sullivan said,
"After a lifetime spent building businesses in the adult industry in which I have met thousands of women, it is sadly inevitable that a small number of improper conduct claims are being made against me."
He described the allegations as "false" and said he was "absolutely not the person the media has decided to paint me as." Sullivan said he plans to sue the BBC.
White Ribbon clarified its accreditation relates to organisations delivering a three-year action plan for improvement and is not an endorsement of individuals connected to them.
Additional reporting by Olivia Davies
