Seven women accuse West Ham co-owner David Sullivan of sexual coercion

Seven women have accused David Sullivan, the West Ham co-owner who made a fortune in the porn and media industries, of soliciting them for sex, an investigation by the BBC And The Times of London on Monday.

The women said Sullivan used his power to get them to perform sex acts when they were young models seeking work with him Daily sport And Sunday sports newspapers, with photos of topless and scantily clad women.

Sullivan denied the allegations through his lawyer but stepped down as co-chairman of the east London football club on Saturday to «avoid disruptions», the team said.

Sullivan said he became aware of “factually incorrect and completely false, decades-old allegations about my personal life that were about to be broadcast and published.”

A woman told the BBC panorama program that she met Sullivan at his mansion in 1999 to talk about work and was told she would be one of his «regular girls» if they had sex. The woman, who was 20 at the time, said she tried to refuse but was led to a bedroom and felt like she was being forced to have sex with him.

Sullivan’s lawyers said the scenario described was unlikely.

The BBC said it found that eight women, including one in the investigation, reported Sullivan’s behavior to police. He was never charged.

Sullivan said in a statement released by the team that he planned to sue the club BBC and other media for defamation.

Sullivan, 77, published porn magazines and films in the late 1970s and 1980s.

«After a lifetime of building businesses in the adult industry, during which I have met thousands of women, it is unfortunately inevitable that a small number of claims of inappropriate behavior will be made against me. I categorically deny these claims,» ​​he said.

He said none of the claims were related to his football ownership.

Sullivan became involved in football when he bought Birmingham City in 1993. He left in 2009 and bought a stake in West Ham a year later.

West Ham were relegated from the Premier League this season.

Published on June 9, 2026