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The wrestling industry has been shaken by grave allegations against Vince McMahon, a divisive figure in the realm of sports entertainment. As discussions and controversies persist regarding McMahon, particularly concerning allegations of trafficking, Janel Grant’s lawyer claimed that Vince McMahon’s love letter aimed to intimidate.
On January 25th, Janel Grant, a former WWE staff member, initiated legal proceedings against WWE, John Laurinaitis, and Vince McMahon, alleging incidents of sexual assault, emotional abuse, and sex trafficking dating back to March 2019. These allegations have cast a dark shadow over McMahon’s reputation and sparked widespread condemnation within the industry.
In an article published on NYPost.com on April 1st, it was revealed that Grant had written what was described as a “love letter” to McMahon on December 24th, 2021, in which she expressed affection and devotion towards him. An excerpt from the letter was published by The Post, revealing Grant’s sentiments:
“After almost 3 years together, it’s like my life isn’t even real to me unless you’re there and in it and I’m sharing it all with you.”
In a recent interview with POST Wrestling and Wrestlenomics, Ann Callis addressed the release of a love letter purportedly written by Grant, characterizing it as an attempt to intimidate her and engage in victim-shaming.
Responding to Rosenberg’s observation that Grant’s letter underwent multiple drafts, Callis emphasized that coercing someone to revise a love letter numerous times seemed nonsensical and pointed to it as evidence of misconduct on McMahon’s part. He asserted that Grant’s repeated revisions were not indicative of genuine affection but rather stemmed from fear of potential repercussions.
“It was a tactic to intimidate Janel and victim-shame her. Ms. Grant’s letter is multiple pages, includes details of their relationship and indicates she wrote 24 drafts. It makes no sense to coerce someone to write 24 drafts of a multiple-page love letter. For Vince McMahon, it’s further proof of misconduct. Redoing and editing the letter — it wasn’t love, it was fear of repercussions. She [Grant] was, frankly, an emotional prisoner and was asked to [write a love letter] by Vince McMahon. This isn’t a new thing, like, ‘gotcha.’ It happens when people are sex trafficked.
Callis likened Grant’s situation to that of an emotional prisoner, suggesting that she may have felt compelled to comply with McMahon’s request. She underscored the seriousness of the situation by drawing parallels to instances of individuals being coerced in cases of sex trafficking.
According to Callis’s statements to POST/Wrestlenomics, the “Paul” referenced by Grant in her letter is Paul Mangieri, who serves as an executive assistant for WWE. Additionally, sources familiar with WWE informed them that Mickey Mangieri, another individual, also worked as an assistant to McMahon.
In response to Grant’s letter, McMahon’s attorney, Jessica Taub Rosenberg, asserted that the multi-page document, which underwent 24 drafts, is indicative of a consensual relationship between Grant and McMahon. Rosenberg dismissed the notion that Grant was coerced into writing the letter, arguing that its extensive revisions suggest otherwise.
“Ms. Grant’s letter is multiple pages, includes details of their relationship and indicates she wrote 24 drafts. It makes no sense to coerce someone to write 24 drafts of a multiple-page love letter. Ms. Grant wrote this love letter to Mr. McMahon. Her attorney is now desperately trying to explain it away because it shows the relationship was consensual and the lawsuit’s allegations are a sham. The false explanation that it was ‘coerced’ is nonsense. Ms. Grant’s letter is just one piece of evidence demonstrating the relationship was consensual and her allegations in the lawsuit are false. There are more pieces of evidence like this to come that will prove her claims are meritless.”
Callis stated that McMahon and Laurinaitis have been served with a summons, requiring them to respond by mid-May. She also mentioned that Grant is still grappling with the trauma of the events outlined in the lawsuit.
“For someone who because of what happened to her, suffering from PTSD and other ailments, she’s resilient. We’ve been talking on the phone and talking to her a lot recently. So she’s okay.”
Despite facing challenges, Callis emphasized Grant’s resilience, noting that they have been in frequent communication with her recently and that she is coping adequately.
Vince McMahon also no longer has any vocal supporters in WWE. As allegations against McMahon continue to emerge, the future of the WWE chairman hangs in uncertainty. With diminishing support from within the company, McMahon confronts a formidable challenge in grappling with the fallout of these damning accusations.
How do you feel the whole ordeal will turn out in the end? Let us know in the comments section below!
