Vince McMahon, founder and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), is facing a new lawsuit over allegations of sexual assault, trafficking and abuse.
The lawsuit was filed on Thursday by Janel Grant, a former WWE employee, who worked at the company’s headquarters.
Grant came across McMahon in March 2019, and he proposed to her a job and later promotions at WWE in return for sex, as per the lawsuit. She said that she felt trapped and had no choice but to submit to his demands, or risk losing her career and reputation.
She claimed that McMahon grew more abusive and violent, and that he sold her to other men within and beyond the company, such as John Laurinaitis, a former wrestler who was in charge of talent relations at WWE. The lawsuit also names Laurinaitis as a defendant.
The lawsuit further alleges that McMahon and Laurinaitis sexually assaulted and trafficked Grant on multiple occasions, including at WWE events, hotels, private jets and McMahon’s home.
It claims that WWE knew or should have known about the abuse, but did nothing to stop it or protect Grant. Instead, they paid her $3 million in 2022 to sign a non-disclosure agreement and keep quiet about the misconduct.
The lawsuit comes more than a year after McMahon retired from his role as chairman and CEO of WWE, amid a special committee investigation into his alleged misconduct. The investigation was launched in June 2021, after several women, including former wrestlers and employees, accused him of sexual harassment, assault and discrimination.
McMahon denied the allegations and said that he was stepping down to focus on his health and family. He has since returned as the chair of WWE’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, which was formed in April 2023 after WWE and UFC, a mixed-martial arts entertainment competitor, announced a merger.
McMahon’s spokesperson said that the lawsuit was “replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred and a vindictive distortion of the truth.” He said that McMahon will vigorously defend himself against the lawsuit.
While Laurinaitis is yet to respond to requests for comment by CNN, Grant’s attorney, Ann Callis, told them that the lawsuit seeks to hold McMahon, Laurinaitis, and WWE accountable for the abuse and the cover-up.
She said that Grant is a courageous person who has suffered deeply at the hands of the defendants, and that she hopes the lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized.
