Jill Ellis sues ex-Wave FC employee for defamation after accusations of toxic environment

San Diego Wave president and former USWNT coach Jill Ellis filed a lawsuit Monday against former Wave employee Brittany Alvarado, claiming defamation and interference with contractual relations.

Alvarado accused Ellis in a July 3 social media post of promoting an “abusive environment” as president of the NWSL club. Ellis says the allegations are “outrageous and completely false” in the lawsuit obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

The lawsuit alleges Alvarado used a fake email purportedly sent from a team executive to support her allegations. It further alleges Alvarado was aware the email was sent from a fake Hotmail account that does not belong to the executive.

USA TODAY Sports has reached out to Alvarado's lawyers for comment.

Alvarado took a “completely unexpected and malicious campaign to defame Ellis and destroy her hard-earned stellar reputation and livelihood, with highly damaging and scandalous allegations,” the lawsuit alleges.

"Ellis was accustomed to receiving criticism for her coaching decisions, whether it be from passionate fans, critics, the media, or former players who were displeased with her roster choices. She expects no different in her role as President of Wave FC, and constructive critiques about her decisions or leadership style are fair game and welcome. However, malicious false and defamatory lies targeted at ruining her personal and professional reputation and tarnishing her workplace are not," the lawsuit says.

Who is Brittany Alvarado, ex-Wave employee alleging workplace abuse?

Brittany Alvarado is the Wave's former video and creative manager who earlier this month posted to X a statement of her experience with the club and called for Jill Ellis to be removed from her role as president for enabling "a pattern of profoundly damaging behaviors." Alvarado shared with the statement what appeared as a redacted screenshot of an abusive email she said she received from a “senior leadership member."

“On behalf of myself and my former colleagues, the treatment we endured under club president Jill Ellis has been nothing short of life-altering and devastating to our mental health,” Alvarado said in the statement .

What does Jill Ellis’ lawsuit say?

The lawsuit filed by Ellis’ lawyers in San Diego County court on Monday alleges the Wave expressed performance and conduct concerns to Alvarado on multiple occasions for hugging a Wave FC player instead of recording content after a game, fraternizing with players outside of work and celebrating in the players' circle after the Wave won the NWSL Shield for clinching the league’s best record.

The lawsuit also says Alvarado “played a key role” in asking co-workers to add their own instances of a bad work environment or mental health issues into a Microsoft Word document.

In addition, the lawsuit addresses the email shared by Alvarado, alleging two other emails were sent that day, June 17, from the same "fake and unofficial" account under the name of Wave FC vice president of marketing and PR Justyne Freud. One of those emails went to another Wave FC employee, saying they were terminated without cause. The other to NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman and the league's head of human resources, saying Freud was resigning because she could no longer had "patience for the stupidity of this league, the employees, and most, Jill Ellis." Freud still works for the Wave.

Ellis said she lost gigs for speaking engagements and an honorary degree from a prestigious university was postponed as a result of the allegations.

What did San Diego Wave FC say about the allegations?

The Wave threatened legal action in a statement posted to the club's X account on July 3.

“Not only does the post contain a fabricated email, but the claims therein are categorically false, including the one directed at our president Jill Ellis,” the statement read . “San Diego Wave FC currently is reviewing this situation and it intends to pursue all legal avenues available to appropriately address this matter.”

The NWSL also released a statement: “The safety, health, and well-being of everyone associated with our league is our highest priority. We take serious any and every report of potential misconduct, hire qualified independent investigators to review those allegations thoroughly, and act when allegations are supported by the facts uncovered. We have mandated corrective action in every instance where reports have been corroborated, up to and including the removal of individuals who do not live up to our values and standards.”

What did Jill Ellis say about the allegations?

Before filing the lawsuit, Ellis denied the allegations against her in a statement to USA TODAY Sports on July 5.

“The false accusations in today’s post are not only personally damaging but also take away from the incredible work and progress we've achieved together as a team. It's important to address this information promptly and effectively,” Ellis said.

“When allegations of mistreatment have been made, we have taken them seriously and investigated them thoroughly. In addition, when appropriate, independent third parties have assisted us in evaluating our workplace. At no time have those evaluations uncovered any wrongdoing by the club,” Ellis added.

Other Wave employees chime in on workplace allegations

One of the Wave’s most popular players, former USWNT standout Alex Morgan, commented on the workplace allegations shortly after they were alleged July 3.

“I am disappointed to hear about the allegations made by multiple former Wave FC employees today,” Morgan said . “As players, we have worked hard to build a team that is surrounded by an inclusive, positive and safe environment. But it’s important to me that we are creating that environment for both players AND staff throughout the entire organization. Equity in the workplace is something I have and will continue to advocate for.”

Another former San Diego Wave employee, Jenny Chuang, said that she was placed on suicide watch when she worked as a club photographer for the team in 2022, but said that “the individuals who made [her] suffer no longer work at the Wave.”

“I begged for help while my mental health declined rapidly, but was pressured to resign instead. After a failed attempt, I left to save myself,” Chuang wrote on X . “It breaks my heart that nothing has changed in the past 2 years.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jill Ellis sues ex-Wave FC employee for defamation after accusations of toxic environment