Editor’s observe: This story incorporates disturbing materials.
CNN
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A former WWE staffer has accused the corporate’s founder, Vince McMahon, of sexual assault, trafficking and bodily abuse in a lawsuit filed Thursday.
The brand new, disturbing allegations from Janel Grant, who labored at WWE’s headquarters, come greater than a yr after the conclusion of a WWE-appointed particular committee investigation into McMahon’s alleged misconduct whereas serving as chairman and CEO of the corporate. McMahon retired from his position amid the investigation in July 2022 however has since returned as chair of WWE’s guardian firm.
Within the lawsuit filed in Connecticut district court docket, Grant alleged that McMahon promised a job – and later promotions – at WWE in alternate for intercourse. Grant’s lawsuit additionally consists of allegations that McMahon trafficked her to different males inside and outdoors of the corporate, together with John Laurinaitis, a former wrestler who labored within the firm’s expertise relations division who can also be named as a defendant within the lawsuit. The Wall Street Journal was first to report the lawsuit.
On the finish of her employment and their sexual relationship, McMahon allegedly pressured Grant into signing a non-disclosure settlement in alternate for funds over a number of years totaling $3 million, in response to the lawsuit.
In an announcement, WWE’s guardian firm, TKO Group Holdings, stated McMahon doesn’t management TKO or oversee day-to-day operations at WWE. Led by McMahon, WWE and UFC, a mixed-martial arts leisure competitor, introduced in April 2023 that they’d mix to type TKO.
“Whereas this matter pre-dates our TKO government group’s tenure on the firm, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very severely and are addressing this matter internally,” a TKO spokesperson stated.
In an announcement to Deadline, a spokesperson for McMahon stated the lawsuit was “replete with lies, obscene made-up situations that by no means occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the reality.”
“He’ll vigorously defend himself,” the spokesperson stated.
Makes an attempt by CNN to achieve John Laurinaitis didn’t yield a response.
In an announcement to CNN, Grant’s lawyer, Ann Callis, stated Thursday’s lawsuit sought to “maintain accountable two WWE executives who sexually assaulted and trafficked Plaintiff Janel Grant, in addition to the group that facilitated or turned a blind eye to the abuse after which swept it beneath the rug.”
“Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will forestall different girls from being victimized. The group is properly conscious of Mr. McMahon’s historical past of wicked conduct, and it’s time that they take duty for the misconduct of its management,” Callis added.
Based on the lawsuit, Grant was launched to McMahon in 2019 when she was searching for work.
Grant initially believed she was constructing knowledgeable relationship with McMahon, in response to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that McMahon ultimately pressured Grant right into a bodily relationship as he dangled “career-making and life-changing” guarantees in entrance of her. After receiving a job at WWE, McMahon allegedly subjected Grant to acts of “excessive cruelty and degradation” that brought about Grant to “disassociate and/or develop into numb to actuality in an effort to survive,” in response to the lawsuit.
One disturbing incident described within the lawsuit particulars an alleged sexual encounter between Grant, McMahon and a “good friend” of McMahon’s in Could 2020. In the course of the encounter, McMahon allegedly defecated on Grant, commanding “her to proceed pleasuring his ‘good friend’ with feces in her hair,” in response to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit additionally detailed an alleged sexual assault amongst Grant, McMahon and Laurinaitis that occurred at WWE’s headquarters in 2021. The 2 males allegedly pulled Grant behind a locked door, forcibly restraining her. As she begged them to cease, one of many males allegedly stated to her, “No means sure.”
“Ms. Grant was exploited throughout her time of employment with WWE and was subjected to numerous wicked and humiliating acts, which has led to extreme and everlasting trauma,” the lawsuit alleges.
The allegations detailed in Grant’s lawsuit immediate questions on a 2022 investigation by a particular committee into alleged misconduct by McMahon.
The investigation, which reportedly started in April 2022, revolved round allegations that McMahon paid a secret $3 million settlement to a former worker with whom he had an affair, in response to a earlier Wall Road Journal report. The separation settlement, which was made in January 2022, prevented the previous, then-unnamed worker “from discussing her relationship with Mr. McMahon or disparaging him,” in response to the Journal.
The investigation reportedly “unearthed different, older nondisclosure agreements involving claims by former feminine WWE staff of misconduct by Mr. McMahon,” the Journal beforehand reported. Different misconduct claims have been reportedly discovered in opposition to Laurinaitis.
The Journal reported in July 2022 that Vince McMahon paid greater than $12 million to 4 girls to cowl up “allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity.”
WWE commented in June 2022 that it takes “all allegations of misconduct very severely” and stated it had engaged impartial authorized providers to help with the evaluate.
Whereas Grant’s lawsuit didn’t explicitly say she was the previous worker on the middle of that investigation, it nonetheless implicates not solely McMahon but in addition the WWE group as an entire.
Her lawsuit alleges that WWE knew about Grant’s relationship with McMahon however that the corporate actively sought to hide any wrongdoing.
Grant additionally alleges that the particular committee assigned to research McMahon by no means interviewed her or requested any paperwork, regardless of Grant allegedly stating that she can be prepared to cooperate.
In March 2023, after the shut of WWE’s particular committee investigation, WWE stated McMahon would reimburse the corporate $17.4 million “for prices which have been incurred and paid by the corporate and/or subsidiaries… in reference to and/or arising from the investigation carried out by a particular committee.”
McMahon stepped down from his position as WWE’s chairman and CEO in the beginning of that investigation however has since returned as government chairman of TKO Group Holdings, WWE’s guardian firm in January 2023.
WWE has inked profitable enterprise partnerships just lately.
In September, WWE formally merged with a portion of Hollywood energy dealer Ari Emanuel’s Endeavor group, the guardian firm of UFC, to type TKO. The deal valued the newly mixed firm at over $21 billion, with WWE shareholders proudly owning 49% of the mixed firm. McMahon was WWE’s largest shareholder.
Earlier this week, TKO made two major announcements.
The primary was that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, a former WWE wrestler himself, would be part of TKO’s board of administrators.
McMahon touted the partnership in an announcement Tuesday. “Only a few individuals on the planet perceive the convergence of sports activities, leisure, media, and enterprise like Rock,” he stated.
The corporate pays Johnson $30 million in inventory awards to advertise the model as a part of the deal.
This week Netflix additionally introduced that it might develop into the unique dwelling of “WWE Uncooked” beginning in January 2025. Based on a submitting from TKO, the 10-year deal is valued at greater than $5 billion.
Neither Netflix nor representatives for Johnson instantly responded to CNN’s request for remark.
Correction: An earlier model of this story incorrectly recognized the company that represents McMahon.