Former WWE employee files sex abuse lawsuit against the company and Vince McMahon
A former WWE worker filed a federal lawsuit Thursday accusing government Vince McMahon and one other former government of significant sexual misconduct, together with providing her to a star wrestler for intercourse.
The graphic 67-page go well with from Janel Grant, who labored within the firm’s authorized and expertise departments, additionally contains allegations that McMahon, now 78, compelled her right into a sexual relationship to ensure that her to get and hold a job and handed round pornographic footage and movies of her to different males, together with different WWE workers.
McMahon stepped down as WWE’s CEO in 2022 amid an investigation into allegations that match these within the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, the place WWE is predicated.
Grant additionally names as defendants within the lawsuit the WWE and John Laurinaitis, the corporate’s former head of expertise relations and common supervisor.
The AP usually doesn’t identify accusers in sexual assault circumstances, however Grant’s representatives mentioned she wished to go public.
“Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized,” her legal professional, Ann Callis, mentioned in an announcement. “The organization is well aware of Mr. McMahon’s history of depraved behavior, and it’s time that they take responsibility for the misconduct of its leadership.”
WWE’s mother or father firm, TKO Group, issued an announcement saying it’s taking the allegations significantly.
“Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE,” TKO Group mentioned in an announcement. “While this matter pre-dates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally.”
Email and social media messages in search of remark have been additionally left for McMahon and Laurinaitis.
According to the lawsuit, McMahon lived in the identical constructing as Grant and in 2019 supplied to get her a job at WWE after her dad and mom died.
She alleges that he ultimately made it clear that one of many necessities of the job was a bodily relationship with him and later with Laurinaitis and others.
Over the following few years, McMahon lavished her with items together with a luxurious automotive, the go well with says.
It additionally alleges that McMahon supplied one in all his star wrestlers — an individual not named within the lawsuit — intercourse with Grant as a perk in 2021.
“WWE benefited financially from the commercial sex act venture orchestrated by McMahon, including by having wrestling talent, such as WWE Superstar, sign new contracts with WWE after McMahon presented Plaintiff as a sexual commodity for their use,” the lawsuit states.
Grant is in search of unspecified financial damages and to have the courtroom void a $3 million nondisclosure settlement, of which she alleges she acquired solely $1 million.
McMahon was the chief and most recognizable face at WWE for many years. When he bought what was then the World Wrestling Federation from his father in 1982, wrestling matches passed off at small venues and appeared on native cable channels.
WWE matches are actually held in skilled sports activities stadiums, and the group has a large abroad following.
WWE merged final April with the corporate that runs Ultimate Fighting Championship to create the $21.4 billion sports activities leisure firm TKO Group Holdings, and McMahon serves as that group’s government chairman of the board.
Pat Eaton-robb, The Associated Press
