Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon is facing accusations of sexual misconduct, according to a new lawsuit.
McMahon served as CEO and chairman of WWE for four decades. But in June of 2022, McMahon stepped down from both positions following reported allegations of paying off former WWE employees he engaged in affairs with.
However, in January of 2023, McMahon returned to the WWE. He oversaw the merger with Endeavor and was tabbed as executive chairman of the new combined company.
New reports, however, may implicate McMahon and WWE employees in a string of sexual misconduct.
Vince McMahon sued by former WWE employee for sexual misconduct
On Thursday, a new report from the Wall Street Journal stated that former WWE employee Janel Grant was suing McMahon on accusations of sexual misconduct.
According to the report, Grant says McMahon began assaulting her soon after she joined the company in 2019.
A woman who received a payout from WWE boss Vince McMahon has accused him, the company and a former executive of sex trafficking in a new lawsuit https://t.co/MDy1UhDKyphttps://t.co/MDy1UhDKyp
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 25, 2024
McMahon allegedly exposed himself to Grant on numerous occasions behind closed doors. The report states that McMahon also forced himself on Grant during these encounters.
According to the WSJ report, he allegedly pressured Grant into remaining silent by offering gifts, such as $15,000 worth of gift cards.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Grant alleges that McMahon not only assaulted her, but that he trafficked her to others within the company, allegedly including former head of talent relations, James Laurinaitis. The lawsuit claims that Laurinaitis also engaged in nonconsensual sexual activity with Grant. Laurinaitis left the company in 2022.
Former WWE employee claims Brock Lesnar was involved in sexual misconduct
Later in the report, Grant claimed that a WWE wrestler was also involved in the abuse. According to the WSJ post, sources close to the situation believe wrestler was WWE star Brock Lesnar.
The lawsuit claims that McMahon allegedly used Grant as a bargaining chip in negotiations between himself and Lesnar. McMahon allegedly sent Lesnar lewd photographs and videos of Grant without her consent.
The woman also alleged that McMahon directed her to create explicit photos for a WWE superstar that the CEO was trying to re-sign. People familiar said that wrestler was Brock Lesnar, Lesnar didn’t immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment. https://t.co/gTkq2PNIdL
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 25, 2024
Lesnar reportedly reached out to Grant, making several requests via text message. The lawsuit claims that McMahon told Grant that “f*cking her” was part of the deal.
In 2022, McMahon told Grant that his wife, Linda, had discovered the alleged affair. According to the report, McMahon threatened to release explicit photos to the public if Grant refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Grant says that she agreed to the NDA, which reportedly paid her $3 million in exchange for her silence. However, Grant claims that she only received $1 million.
According to the WSJ report, she is seeking the dissolution of the NDA, along with unspecified financial damages. There are no criminal charges against McMahon as of this writing.