Ashli Ford won't address exploitation allegations, falsehoods

Stays silent in the face of scrutiny

MILAN — A social-media-driven advocate known for injecting herself into high-profile criminal cases, has chosen silence in the face of an exhaustive journalistic inquiry detailing allegations of exploitation, falsehoods and professional misconduct.

This week, StayTunedSandusk.com sent a detailed, multi-part inquiry to Ashli Ford’s attorney, Peter Pattakos, demanding answers to allegations that she misrepresents facts, falsely takes credit for law enforcement successes, and has engaged in reckless behavior that harms crime victims.

Ashli Ford at her trial in May. Ford was convicted on four felony counts of intimidation for threatening Norwalk city officials. The convictions are under appeal. Ford was the only witness to testify for the defense. (Photo/Matt Westerhold)

Despite being given a full opportunity to comment on these numerous and serious allegations—some of which touch upon a history of defamation and the prior condemnation of her conduct by her own current counsel—Ashli Ford and her legal team failed to respond by the stated deadline.

The refusal to comment acts as an effective non-denial, placing the full weight of the evidence and allegations into the public record without rebuttal. This story focuses on the core accusations Ms. Ford and her attorney failed to address.

---

Patterns of exploitation

The questions were presented to Ms. Ford and her attorney with a small portion of available information that strongly suggests a pattern of behavior aimed at generating attention and revenue for her social media platforms, often at the expense of accuracy and ethical conduct. Ford leaves behind a trail at social media with an array of posts linked to past crime news stories at her Facebook page, although in many instances, past posts have been scrubbed from her sites.

She presents herself as being actively involved in numerous investigations, sometimes as an advocate, sometimes as a journalist, and at times, frequently, as an investigator. In an interview with police, she suggested there was so much demand for her services that she was certified as an expert witness in 87 out of the 88 counties in Ohio. That assertion could not be independently verified, and Ford declined to provide copies of the certifications to which she referred.