Wave’s Jill Ellis Files Defamation Suit Against Former Employee

San Diego Wave soccer club president and former U.S. women’s national team coach Jill Ellis has filed a defamation lawsuit against a former Wave employee who recently accused Ellis of creating a toxic work environment.

The lawsuit, filed in San Diego County Circuit Court on Monday, alleges that Brittany Alvarado, the team’s former video and creative director, made false and defamatory statements about Ellis in recent posts on her social media accounts. The lawsuit also alleges that the statements were supported by a forged email, a claim Wave made in its public denial of the allegations earlier this month.

In her social media posts on July 3, Alvarado alleged that Ellis’ treatment of her and her former colleagues “was life-changing and devastating to our mental health” and alleged that Ellis “fostered an environment where abusive behaviors among her subordinates were allowed to flourish.”

Alvarado posted a follow-up screenshot of an edited email titled “Pathetic,” which Alvarado said she received from a “senior leadership member” of Wave FC.

The lawsuit alleges that two other emails were sent on the same day from a “fake and unofficial Hotmail account” purporting to belong to Wave FC’s vice president of marketing and public relations, Justin Freud. The lawsuit alleges that one of those emails was sent to NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman (and a copy to the league’s head of human resources) announcing that Freud was resigning because she could no longer stand Ellis. The disputed email was allegedly sent on June 17; Freud is still employed by Wave.

Ellis’ lawsuit also alleges that what was “believed to be a burner phone” was used to send a text message to a Wave player making “false, controversial and highly defamatory statements about Ellis, Wave FC and others.”

Alvarado’s attorneys said she was exercising her First Amendment rights in an attempt to effect positive change within WAVE.

“Our client, a courageous former employee, has come forward to exercise her First Amendment rights, shedding light on the pervasive gender discrimination and emotional abuse within the organization,” Casey Hultin told ESPN. “Her voice, echoing the experiences of so many, calls for immediate and concrete change to protect employees and athletes from further harm. This is not just a call for justice; it is a demand for a safe, respectful and just environment for all.”

“In standing up against the systemic sexism and emotional abuse she endured, our client embodies courage and resilience,” added co-counsel Misha Starr Liberty. “Her testimony underscores the urgent need for reform within the organization to ensure that no employee or athlete suffers in silence.”

“This is a pivotal moment for change, and we are committed to supporting her fight for a workplace that supports dignity, equality and mental health for everyone involved.”

The lawsuit says Alvarado’s posts on X and Instagram reached millions of people and made global headlines. Three other former Wave FC employees soon came forward saying they had similar bad experiences with the organization.

Another former Wave employee, who is still self-employed at the NWSL, said she went to a “suicide watch center.” Another said she “had no hope in her life and didn’t want to be alive most of the time.” A fourth described the work environment at Wave as “toxic.”

According to the lawsuit, Alvarado filed a complaint with the NWSL on Feb. 5, 2024. On or about April 26, 2024, a third-party investigation concluded, finding that “no violation of league policy regarding the reported conduct occurred,” according to an NWSL spokesperson.

Ellis’ lawsuit says she and Alvarado spoke and met only once, sometime on or after Oct. 15, 2023, to discuss professional boundaries with players. It alleges this was “the fourth time in just a few months” that Alvarado was reminded.

Among the damages to Ellis, the lawsuit alleges, was that a longtime sponsor canceled a scheduled speaking engagement with her, another organization stopped negotiating with her to be a keynote speaker, and she was delayed receiving an honorary degree from a prestigious university. “These damages continue to grow,” the lawsuit wrote.

Ellis joins the Wave as the expansion team’s first female head coach ahead of its inaugural season in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2022. She is the only coach to win back-to-back Women’s World Cups, leading the U.S. Women’s National Team to victories in 2015 and 2019.

Alex Morgan, one of the U.S. women’s national team’s leading scorers who played with Ellis during their two World Cup titles and currently plays for San Diego, wrote in a post on X later on July 3 that she was “disappointed to hear these accusations” and said “there is clearly a lot of work to be done.”

In a statement earlier this month, Ellis said: “Mental health is a priority at our club for everyone.”

“I will continue to protect the confidentiality of current and former employees,” the statement continued. “When allegations of mistreatment have been made, we have taken them seriously and investigated them thoroughly. In addition, where appropriate, independent third parties have assisted us in assessing our workplace. At no time have these assessments revealed any wrongdoing on the part of the club.”