Hello and welcome to the WrestleTalk News, I am Luke Owen.
Today’s episode is going to be a pretty serious one.
In fact it’s a very serious one.
In further fact, I’m….
I’m afraid I’ll be covering very serious allegations, which are both vulgar and distressing.
Please be sensible in the comments.
In June 2022, The Wall Street Journal released a report that WWE were investigating it’s
then-CEO - Vince McMahon - over use of company funds to pay hush money to the tune of $3
million to cover up an alleged affair.
John Laurinaitis, who was Head of Talent Relations at the time, was also part of this investigation.
This figure then rose to $12 million, as it was then revealed in another Wall Street Journal
report, that there were multiple instances of Non Disclosure Agreements - an NDA - to
cover up “allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity.”
Following the first Wall Street Journal report, Vince McMahon returned to TV screens on both
Raw and SmackDown to show how these allegations were not affecting him.
However after the second report, Vince stepped down as CEO of WWE and announced his retirement
in July 2022.
He was replaced as CEO by his daughter Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan, while his son-in-law,
Triple H, took over as Head of Creative.
WWE formed a ‘Special Committee’ of independent board members to investigate the matter, which
disbanded in November of 2022 when their investigation was complete.
They discovered that McMahon had paid $19.6 million in hush money payments to former female
employees.
He was still on the board of directors, though, and in December of 2022 it was reported that
Vince was looking to get back into the company in an un-retired role, which he managed despite
originally being told that he couldn’t by the rest of the board.
Vince got his way back into the company to facilitate a sale of WWE, saying that he would
not approve of any sale unless he was involved.
How did Vince manage this?
Well, he replaced the board of people who said no with people who would say yes.
Stephanie McMahon, who just prior to the original Wall Street Journal article stepped down from
WWE, then stepped back up to be co-CEO, stepped down again after Vince stepped back up.
Vince began getting involved with WWE’s creative following WrestleMania 39, including
a heavily-criticized Raw after Mania.
He then worked behind-the-scenes to sell WWE, striking a deal with Endeavor, which was announced
in April 2023 and completed later that year.
This new group was called TKO, and Vince McMahon was a high level board member of it.
In a move he probably didn’t see coming though, his new boss - Ari Emmaunel - made
the call to remove Vince from the creative side of WWE so he could just focus on selling
the TV rights for Raw, SmackDown and NXT, which was already more of a Nick Khan role.
TKO themselves noted in their first SEC filings that Vince McMahon was a liability based on
the allegations, which is why his presence was being kept to a minimum.
This past week, TKO announced that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had joined the Board
of Directors, and they’d signed a huge money deal to move Raw to Netflix in January of
2025.
It had been speculated that The Rock would become the ‘face of WWE’ to further minimize
Vince McMahon’s role in the company.
Which brings us up to date, and brings us to the latest Wall Street Journal article,
and the latest lawsuit against Vince McMahon that alleges him of sexual misconduct, coercion,
and sex trafficking.
The new report details a lawsuit filed against WWE, Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis from
a former employee named Janel Grant.
The suit alleges that Grant met McMahon when they lived in the same apartment building
in 2019, and Vince brought her into WWE to work in the legal department in a new role
that he created specifically for her, and that McMahon showered her with gifts.
The Wall Street Journal writes, “During meetings that were supposed to be about the
job, he greeted her in his underwear and repeatedly asked for hugs.
Then, the suit said, he pressured her into sexual activities in return for employment
and warned her to stay quiet about their interactions.”
Allegedly, although Grant expressed concerns about a job that felt unearned, McMahon told
her that it just “has to look legit”.
Grant alleges that her colleagues complained about having too much work, while she had
little to do.
It was during this time, the suit alleges, that McMahon would send her sexually explicit
messages and increased sexual demands; including, but not limited to, using sex toys on her
named after WWE wrestlers.
The Wall Street Journal writes, “Grant alleged that she complained to McMahon and made attempts
to end the relationship.”
The suit says, “[Grant] came to understand that McMahon expected the physical relationship
to continue as part of her employment.”
It also adds, “McMahon refused [to end the relationship], saying that it was not ending,
it did not need to, and that he did not ‘ever envision’ it ending.”
Grant alleges that McMahon and another unnamed executive locked her in an office at WWE’s
headquarters and took turns sexually assaulting her.
She claims other instances of rape in June of 2021, and later that day received $15,000
in Bloomingdale’s gift cards.
The suit has a text message that says Vince said: “I’m the only one who owns you and
controls you.”
Grant also alleges that McMahon would share these sexually explicit pictures of her with
other WWE employees, unnamed executives and stars - as well as people “outside the company”
- and the suit provides a series of texts where McMahon bragged about showing them to
employees in WWE’s technical department in July of 2020 while also offering her up
to them for sexual favours.
The suit claims that in November of 2019, Grant showed signs of, “leep disruption,
dizziness, exhaustion, rashes, weight loss, hair loss and migraines.”
She saw her doctor who told her these were symptoms of trauma, to which McMahon allegedly
responded: “emotional trauma my ass”, and sent her to his own ‘Celebrity Doctor’,
where she received “attention, treatments and products” all of which paid for by McMahon.
The suit alleges that McMahon “encouraged” those he sent her sexually explicit photos
to share them with their friends.
This includes a “former WWE referee” who McMahon assured Grant had “loyalty to him”.
The suit alleges that in June 2021, Grant was moved to work under John Laurinaitis in
the Talent Relations department, where she was instructed by McMahon to meet with Laurinaitis
at his hotel room “prior to the start of work days” for sex.
The suit claims that McMahon described her as “breakfast” for Laurintis.
The suit alleges in that same month, McMahon and Laurinaitis sexually assaulted Grant.
The Wall Street Journal writes, “McMahon controlled her professional and personal lives
and subjected her to degradation, according to the suit.”
A huge part of this suit claims that Grant was used as a bargaining chip to sign someone
to WWE.
The suit alleges that Grant was instructed by McMahon to create “personalized sexual
content” for this wrestler, and when they agreed to a new WWE contract, McMahon texted
Grant in August of 2021 that, “part of the deal was f—ing U.”
The suit does not name this individual, but notes they were both a WWE star and UFC fighter.
The Wall Street Journal writes, “People familiar with the matter identified the wrestler
as Brock Lesnar,” who returned to WWE for Summerslam 2021.
The suit alleges that McMahon gave Grant a new cellphone just for her to send sexual
content to this WWE star, who degraded her and wanted to “set a playdate” in December
2021, which did not happen due to a snowstorm disrupting travel plans.
The suit claims, “McMahon also subjected Ms. Grant to acts of extreme cruelty and degradation
that caused Ms. Grant to disassociate and/or become numb to reality in order to survive
the horrific encounters.”
It’s alleged that in January 2022, Linda McMahon - Vince McMahon’s wife - discovered
the relationship, and that Grant was let go by WWE.
Vince then allegedly pressured Grant into signing an NDA, and “warned Grant of reputational
ruin that included pornographic content he had of her.”
Allegedly, McMahon paid Grant $1 million in February as part of the NDA, but stopped making
payments.
These lack of payments is what broke the NDA, which is how Grant was able to file this suit.
Finally, the suit alleges that even after the NDA was signed in February, the abuse
continued, as McMahon attempted to “traffic her” to an unnamed WWE star in March 2022
at an event in New York City.
The Wall Street Journal writes, “She texted the star explicit photos as directed by McMahon,
but they didn’t meet.”
Grant had previously gone unnamed in other Wall Street Journal articles, though her name
was posted by Brad Shepard on Twitter which he got ‘via a WWE source’.
It is alleged in the lawsuit that WWE leaked this name to Shepard as an “overt intimidation
tactic” by the company.
Ann Callis, the lawyer representing Janel Grant said, “Today's complaint seeks to
hold accountable two WWE executives who sexually assaulted and trafficked Plaintiff Janel Grant,
as well as the organization that facilitated or turned a blind eye to the abuse and then
swept it under the rug.
She is an incredibly private and courageous person who has suffered deeply at the hands
of Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis.
Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized.
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.”
In a statement to Variety, TKO said, “Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee
the day-to-day operations of WWE.
While this matter predates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms.
Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally.”
A representative for Vince McMahon denied the allegations to Deadline, saying, “This
lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive
distortion of the truth.
He will vigorously defend himself.”
As for Brock Lesnar, Fightful Select report that he was planned for an appearance at this
weekend’s Royal Rumble, however “in light of Lesnar's implied inclusion in the Vince
McMahon lawsuit, that may change.”
As for the investigation by WWE by that ‘special committee’, the suit claims that Janel Grant
was never contacted for an interview - despite stating that she would cooperate abd share
any documents and evidence - and alledges that all it did was try to shift the focus.
The suit claims that “the company diverted attention away from McMahon’s abuse by focusing
on the accounting for the payouts.
Others at WWE knew about McMahon’s misconduct but worked to conceal the wrongdoing.”
The suit calls the internal investigation “a sham”.
So, what happens next?
Really, not a lot.
These are matters that - according to TKO - will be looked into, and McMahon will fight
this in court.
As for McMahon’s role within TKO and its board of directors, Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics
notes via Twitter that TKO cannot force him out.
They cannot fire him.
Or, at the very least, it’s unclear on whether they can fire him.
Their own filings notes that, “Vincent K. McMahon shall serve as the Executive Chair
of the Board until the earliest of his death, resignation or Incapacitation.”
Basically, as Thurston puts it, TKO “may instead need to somehow convince him to resign
if they want him gone.”
According to the suit, Janel Grant has been left, “crippled, both physically and mentally,
including from debilitating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation.”
As with any case like this, these are all allegations.
These are all claims.
Janel Grant has made her claims, and Vince McMahon has denied them.
It’s not up to us to determine who is right and who is wrong.
All we can do is follow the story.
If you would like something lighter, you can check out this episode of TLC where we talk
about bad wrestling music?