Billionaire West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has resigned following serious allegations of abusing his power and preying on women for sex. Seven women have accused the 77-year-old businessman of sexually exploitative behavior spanning decades, with claims he pressured young models for sexual favors during business meetings at his Essex mansion.

The allegations, uncovered by BBC Panorama and The Times, focus on Sullivan's time as a gatekeeper in the glamour modeling industry while running the Daily and Sunday Sport newspapers. Women claim they felt forced to have sex to advance their careers, with one recounting being locked in a room after refusing Sullivan's advances.

Sullivan "categorically denies" the claims, describing the investigation as "fundamentally unfair." He separately admitted paying for sex with a girl he believed was 16 or 17 in the 1990s, which was not yet illegal at the time. The police have received eight disclosures about his conduct, though he was never charged.