Jonathan Barnett, a prominent sports agent, has been accused of rape and trafficking in a civil complaint filed in Los Angeles on Wednesday. An unidentified woman known as “Jane Doe” is suing the district. As she alleges in her complaint, Barnett trafficked her to the United Kingdom in 2017. The allegations have prompted intense scrutiny over Barnett’s conduct during his time as executive chairman of CAA Stellar. He continued in that position at the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) until February 2024.
Barnett’s legal team has been shooting down the allegations just as aggressively. They are demonstrating their full-out commitment to defending him to the fullest appropriate legal degree. They stated, “We will vigorously defend this lawsuit through the appropriate legal process. I am looking forward to being entirely vindicated and exonerated.”
The civil suit further involves CAA and CAA Stellar, organizations in which Barnett was on the executive team. CAA has issued a statement regarding the allegations, asserting that they first learned of “Ms. Doe’s allegations via a press inquiry in January 2024 and settlement demands from her lawyer.” The agency emphasized that “while the complaint attempts to connect these allegations to CAA’s business, Ms. Doe has never been an employee, consultant, or contractor of CAA, ICM, or Stellar, nor has she ever had any business connection to CAA, ICM, or Stellar.”
Jonathan Barnett earned his reputation by handling the likes of high-profile clients such as professional footballers Gareth Bale, Jack Grealish and Ashley Cole. He subsequently stepped down from active representation. He sold his company, Stellar Group, to Hollywood talent agency ICM Partners in 2020. His planned departure from CAA Stellar at the beginning of 2024 occurred as concerns about his conduct were alone building.
The specifics of “Jane Doe’s” allegations are the most egregious, including that she was trafficked internationally. This should alarm everyone that it’s accepted practice within International Sports Representation to exploit vulnerable individuals.
The class action civil complaint is a major step forward for Barnett. He has had a fascinating trajectory as an influencer within the sports industry for several decades. If the case continues to play out, it will undoubtedly continue to draw the sports world’s attention. Legal advocates and trafficking and sexual violence advocates are sure to pay special attention.
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