Former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) employee Janel Grant has taken legal action against the company’s founder, Vince McMahon, filing a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut on January 25th, 2024. Grant alleges a disturbing series of events, including sexual abuse, assault, and trafficking, detailing her experience after being introduced to McMahon in March 2019 and subsequently offered a job during a vulnerable period.
According to the lawsuit, McMahon’s employment offer was contingent upon Grant entering into a sexual relationship with him. The legal document outlines a pattern of coercion and exploitation, with McMahon allegedly sharing explicit materials of Grant without her consent and pressuring her into sexual encounters with others, including WWE executive John Laurinaitis. Some of these encounters are claimed to have occurred at WWE headquarters, even during working hours, involving joint assaults by McMahon and Laurinaitis in Laurinaitis’ office.
The lawsuit further contends that McMahon used his influential position to manipulate Grant, offering gifts and empty promotions while threatening her livelihood if she did not comply. After McMahon’s wife discovered their relationship in January 2022, Grant alleges she was pressured to resign and sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) for financial and reputational protection. Despite an initial payment of $1 million, McMahon is accused of failing to fulfill further promised payments.
Grant’s legal action seeks to nullify the NDA and secure compensatory and punitive damages. Her attorneys argue that the lawsuit aims to hold accountable those responsible for the alleged abuse and prevent similar victimization of other women. The charges include accusations of sex trafficking, civil battery, intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress, and violations of the Trafficking Victims Prevention Act.
McMahon, who returned to WWE as executive chairman in January 2023 after stepping down as CEO in 2022 due to separate misconduct allegations, is a majority shareholder in WWE. The lawsuit alleges that WWE attempted to downplay the matter, claiming a special committee formed to investigate never interviewed Grant or requested documents from her, despite her willingness to cooperate.
A spokesperson for McMahon has dismissed the lawsuit as filled with lies and distortions, emphasizing McMahon’s intention to vigorously defend himself. Meanwhile, TKO Group Holdings, WWE’s parent company, states that the matter is being taken seriously and addressed internally. John Laurinaitis has not immediately responded to requests for comment.
The allegations against McMahon shed light on a troubling picture of abuse and exploitation within one of the world’s most prominent entertainment companies, prompting serious questions about the culture and oversight within WWE.
