WWE Wrestling Ring with Scandal: Former WWE Employee’s Lawsuit Against Vince McMahon

WWE Wrestling Ring: A lawsuit has been filed by a former WWE employee, alleging abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking against Vince McMahon, the renowned figure in the wrestling industry.

Janel Grant, a previous staff member of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), has taken legal action by filing a lawsuit on Thursday. The lawsuit targets the company itself, its founder Vince McMahon, and a former WWE executive.

Grant accuses these individuals of engaging in sex trafficking and subjecting her to abuse. In her lawsuit, she claims to have been a victim of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking during her time at WWE. The lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.

In a statement to News channels, attorney Ann Callis expressed that today’s complaint aims to hold accountable two WWE executives who sexually assaulted and trafficked Plaintiff Janel Grant, along with the organization that either facilitated or turned a blind eye to the abuse and subsequently covered it up. Grant, a remarkably private and courageous individual, has endured immense suffering at the hands of Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis.

Callis emphasized that Grant hopes this lawsuit will serve as a deterrent, preventing other women from falling victim to similar circumstances.

Responding to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for McMahon vehemently denied the allegations, stating that the lawsuit is filled with falsehoods, fabricated incidents that never took place, and a malicious distortion of the truth. McMahon is determined to vigorously defend himself against these claims.

TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE, has clarified that Mr. McMahon has no control over TKO and is not involved in the day-to-day operations of WWE. Despite this, the company takes the serious allegations made by Ms. Grant very seriously and is handling the matter internally.

John Laurinaitis, another former executive mentioned in the lawsuit, has not yet provided a comment in response to the allegations. The lawsuit encompasses various accusations including sex trafficking, civil battery, intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress, and negligence.

Grant filed a lawsuit claiming that she encountered McMahon in March 2019 when he held the position of the company’s CEO. Throughout their interaction, McMahon allegedly enticed Grant with enticing prospects that could shape her career and life. However, his behavior towards her became increasingly inappropriate.

The lawsuit further stated that McMahon pressured Grant into engaging in a physical relationship in exchange for promised employment at WWE. Grant felt trapped, as she believed she had no choice but to either comply with his sexual demands or face severe consequences. The lawsuit emphasized that Grant feared losing everything and anticipated negative repercussions regardless of her decision. Eventually, Grant succumbed to McMahon’s advances and entered into a physical relationship with him, subsequently securing employment at WWE.

According to the lawsuit, Ms. Grant expressed her unhappiness and made attempts to end the sexual relationship. However, she soon realized that McMahon expected the physical relationship to continue as part of her employment. Little did she know the extent to which it would become sordid, leading to psychological torture, physical violence, and a sense of helplessness, isolation, and entrapment.

The lawsuit further alleges that in 2020, McMahon started sharing sexually explicit photos and videos of Grant with unidentified individuals both within and outside the wrestling company.

Given McMahon’s position as CEO of WWE at the time and Grant’s entry-level role in the company, the lawsuit claims that coercion was inherent in his increasingly depraved sexual demands.

Furthermore, McMahon allegedly enlisted others, including Laurinaitis, to engage in sexual relations with Grant. The suit states that Grant was expected to participate in sexual activities at the WWE headquarters, sometimes even during working hours.

According to the lawsuit, McMahon and Laurinaitis are accused of sexually assaulting Grant inside Laurinaitis’ office while she pleaded for them to stop, all while their colleagues were occupied at their desks. Grant further alleges that other individuals at WWE were aware of the situation but actively tried to cover up the misconduct.

The lawsuit states that Grant lost her job at the company after McMahon claimed his wife discovered their relationship in January 2022 and subjected her to immense pressure to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which would prevent her from discussing the sexual misconduct. In exchange for payments, Grant eventually signed the NDA, but the lawsuit claims that McMahon later ceased making the agreed-upon payments. The lawsuit seeks to invalidate the NDA and pursue compensatory and punitive damages.

McMahon is accused of trying to traffic the plaintiff to an undisclosed WWE star in March 2022, even after she was forced out of the company. The lawsuit claims that this alleged abuse and predatory behavior has caused severe physical and mental harm to Ms. Grant, leaving her with debilitating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Furthermore, WWE is accused of trying to cover up the matter by forming a special committee or board of directors to investigate the misconduct, following media reports of McMahon’s involvement in a hush money payment scandal.

According to the lawsuit, Grant claimed that despite her willingness to cooperate, the special committee never interviewed her or requested any documents. The lawsuit further alleged that McMahon and Laurinaitis groomed and coerced Grant, with the WWE supporting their efforts to keep her employed for McMahon’s benefit.

Last year, World Wrestling Entertainment announced that McMahon, who is also a majority shareholder, would be reinstated to the company’s board. McMahon had previously stepped down as CEO in 2022 following an investigation that revealed he had paid nearly $15 million to four women over a span of 16 years to silence allegations of sexual misconduct. Despite his leave, McMahon still maintained control over the company as a majority shareholder, as stated in a November regulatory filing by WWE.