A two-year investigation by BBC Panorama and The Times found seven women accusing West Ham co-owner David Sullivan of using his media power to pressure young women into sex — and now he has resigned from the club.

Story Highlights

• Seven women told BBC Panorama and The Times that Sullivan used his role as a newspaper owner to pressure young models into sex, dating back to the 1980s.
• Two named women gave detailed accounts: Sasha Wall described a 1998 meeting at his Essex home where she says he locked the door; Florence described being pressured into sex at his home in 1999.
• At least seven women also made allegations to the Metropolitan Police and Essex Police, but no charges were ever filed.
• Sullivan admitted paying for sex with a girl he believed was 16 or 17 in the 1990s — conduct that would be illegal under current law.
• Sullivan resigned as joint-chair and director of West Ham United following the broadcast of the investigation.

What the Investigation Found

BBC Panorama and The Times spent two years looking into allegations against Sullivan, who built his fortune in the pornography industry before buying the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport newspapers. The investigation says seven women came forward. Most were in their late teens or early twenties at the time. They were aspiring models looking for work at Sullivan’s newspapers when the alleged incidents took place.

The investigation described a clear pattern. Sullivan allegedly offered women better career opportunities — more coverage, more work — if they slept with him or performed sex acts. A former model agent told The Times the arrangement was widely known: “Everyone knew if you wanted to get in the paper, you had to have sex with David.” That kind of industry-wide awareness, if accurate, points to a long-running abuse of power rather than isolated incidents.

Named Women Share Specific Accounts

Sasha Wall said she met Sullivan at his Essex mansion in 1998 seeking modeling work. She alleges he asked her to strip, demanded a sex act, and locked the door to stop her from leaving. Florence described a 1999 meeting at his home where she says Sullivan pressured her into sex. She told investigators she said, “I don’t want to. I don’t want to.” Sullivan’s lawyers disputed Florence’s account, arguing the layout of his house made her described sequence of events impossible.

At least seven women also reported their allegations to the Metropolitan Police and Essex Police. No charges were filed. That outcome does not mean the allegations are false — police may lack enough evidence to prosecute even when multiple witnesses come forward. Still, the absence of charges gives Sullivan’s defenders a factual point to lean on, and his legal team has used it to push back against the reporting.

Sullivan Denies Everything — Then Resigns

Sullivan called the BBC Panorama documentary “false” and said he was “absolutely not the person the media is portraying.” He described the investigation as “fundamentally unfair” and issued a categorical denial of all the complaints. He did admit, however, to paying for sex with a girl he believed was 16 or 17 in the 1990s. He said that was legal at the time. Under current British law, paying for sex with anyone under 18 is a criminal offense.

My thoughts are with the victims following tonight’s Panorama on David Sullivan.

Tonight’s Panorama has raised serious questions about his conduct, and the complicity of the media and sporting industry’s failure to protect women.

The claims within it are deeply disturbing.… https://t.co/eEVsQenMAw

— Uma Kumaran MP (@Uma_Kumaran) June 8, 2026

Despite his denials, Sullivan resigned as joint-chair and director of West Ham United shortly after the Panorama broadcast aired. His exit from the club followed years of calls from some quarters for him to step down while the allegations were being looked into. The Football Association and West Ham made limited public comment. Sullivan’s resignation does not resolve the underlying accusations, but it marks the end of his formal role at one of England’s top soccer clubs. The women who came forward have not received a public apology or any criminal justice outcome based on the available record.

Sources:

[1] Web – Seven women accuse David Sullivan of sexually exploitative and …

[2] YouTube – West Ham co-owner David Sullivan accused of preying on women …

[3] Web – David Sullivan (businessman) – Wikipedia

[4] YouTube – Billionaire West Ham co-owner accused of abusing his power and …

[5] Web – West Ham owner David Sullivan ‘used power to prey on women’