A brand new lawsuit alleges WWE founder Vince McMahon sexually abused a former worker throughout his time as CEO. Janel Grant filed a lawsuit on Thursday in opposition to her former employer WWE, McMahon and former head of expertise relations John Laurinaitis.
Grant accused McMahon of utilizing WWE sources to traffick her to different males “as a pawn to safe expertise offers,” in response to a lawsuit filed within the U.S. District Courtroom for the District of Connecticut. The plaintiff seeks unspecified financial damages and a declaratory judgement {that a} nondisclosure settlement Grant signed is “void and unenforceable, and doesn’t bar any of Plaintiff’s claims in opposition to defendants McMahon and WWE.”
The swimsuit alleges McMahon and Laurinaitis engaged in sexual assault and trafficking “each for their very own pleasure and as a pawn to safe expertise offers with potential wrestlers they had been recruiting.”
“[McMahon] would bathe Ms. Grant with items and empty work promotions, whereas at the identical time threatening her livelihood and her popularity if she would not succumb to his more and more wicked sexual calls for, together with disseminating pornography of Ms. Grant to ‘hundreds’ of people and participating in intercourse acts with different WWE staff — a few of whom had been full strangers,” the authorized grievance claims.
Grant and McMahon allegedly lived in the identical house constructing and met in March 2019. Grant was allegedly given an “entry-level place as an ‘administrator-coordinator” after “succumbing to the strain for a bodily relationship.” The lawsuit particulars a number of allegations of sexual assault and “excessive depravity” performed by McMahon and Laurinaitis.
Grant allegedly “was abruptly pressured to resign from the WWE and compelled to signal an NDA days earlier than a serious monetary deadline for the group” after McMahon’s spouse realized of the relationship. McMahon allegedly promised to guard her ‘financially and reputationally” and pay her $3 million. McMahon allegedly “refused to make funds to Ms. Grant, falsely claiming that she had leaked info to the press.” The lawsuit states that McMahon paid Grant $1 million in February 2022 however he “did not make any additional funds.”
“At this time’s grievance seeks to carry 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 and then swept it below the rug,” mentioned Ann Callis, Grant’s lawyer, in an announcement printed by Selection. “She is an extremely non-public and brave one that has suffered deeply by the hands of Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis. Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will stop different ladies from being victimized. The group is nicely conscious of Mr. McMahon’s historical past of wicked habits, and it is time that they take accountability for the misconduct of its management.”
McMahon stepped down as WWE CEO in July 2022 whereas the corporate investigated allegations of hush-money funds who accused McMahon of sexual misconduct. WWE disclosed that McMahon made $19.6 million in funds courting again to 2007 referring to alleged misconduct. McMahon paid WWE $17.4 million in March 2023 for prices the corporate incurred whereas investigating him.
McMahon returned to the corporate in January 2023 as an government chairman to guide WWE’s gross sales efforts. WWE merged with UFC final 12 months, a deal coordinated by Endeavor, resulting in the creation of TKO Group Holdings. The lawsuit was filed two days after TKO penned a 10-year cope with Netflix totaling $5 billion. McMahon, WWE, TKO and Netflix haven’t but responded to the allegations.
The claims in opposition to the defendants embody violating the Trafficking Victims Prevention Act, civil battery and intentional infliction of emotional misery regarding years-long sexual and emotional abuse.
A spokesperson for McMahon launched an announcement on the lawsuit on Thursday evening.
“This lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up situations that by no means occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the reality. He’ll vigorously defend himself.”