9 months ago
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On Thursday, a disturbing lawsuit was filed by Janel Grant against Vince McMahon, WWE, and former executive John Laurinaitis. Within the lawsuit, grave allegations of sex trafficking, emotional abuse, and sexual assault were leveled against McMahon.
Grant, a former employee at WWE’s headquarters, detailed in the lawsuit that she had suffered abuse and sexual exploitation at the hands of McMahon during his tenure as chief executive. She claimed that McMahon had enticed her with promises of career advancement, only to subsequently exploit her and allegedly traffic her to other men within the company.
Notably, a special committee on the WWE board had conducted an investigation into McMahon concerning allegations back in 2022 of hush money and sexual misconduct. However, it is now asserted in the lawsuit that Ms. Grant was never interviewed during this investigation.
In response to these claims, Jeff Speed, who had led the investigation as a board member, has spoken out via The New York Times. He characterized the investigation as thorough and stated that they had reached out to Ms. Grant.
“I remain confident in our investigation, which included outreach to Ms. Grant and engagement with her lawyer,” Mr. Speed conveyed in an email from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett L.L.P., the law firm employed to represent the committee.
Although Speed departed from the WWE board in 2023, he acknowledged the gravity of the allegations in the lawsuit. However, he clarified that he is not at liberty to comment on what was and was not discovered during their investigation.
Meanwhile, McMahon has vehemently denied these allegations and has expressed his intent, through a spokesperson, to vigorously defend himself against these serious accusations. The unfolding legal proceedings will undoubtedly shed more light on this complex and troubling situation.
How do you think the recent legal issues and controversies surrounding WWE, Vince McMahon, and their business relationships might affect the wrestling industry’s landscape and perception? Let us know in the comments.
