WWE boss Vince McMahon sued over alleged sexual assault, trafficking
From CNBC:
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has joined the Board of Directors for TKO, at New York Stock Exchange on January 23, 2024 in New York City.WWE boss Vince McMahon was accused in a graphic lawsuit Thursday of sexual assault, trafficking, and physical and emotional abuse of a woman who previously worked at the pro wrestling giant. The suit alleges that McMahon directed her to have sex with a WWE “superstar” and other men. Grant’s suit in U.S. District Court in Connecticut says the billionaire McMahon agreed to pay her $3 million as part of that deal, but ended up only paying her $1 million in exchange for her silence about his conduct.
Grant’s lawsuit seeks to void a nondisclosure agreement she reached with McMahon in 2022. The complaint pushed for McMahon and Laurinaitis, WWE’s former head of talent relations and general manager, to be held accountable for alleged sexual assault and trafficking. A federal investigation is looking into McMahon’s payment of millions of dollars to multiple women.
McMahon leads TKO Group Holdings and owns a significant number of shares in the company. A spokesperson for McMahon dismissed Grant’s allegations, labeling the lawsuit with “lies” and “a vindictive distortion of the truth.” The spokesperson asserted that McMahon would vigorously defend himself. The lawsuit has criticized TKO Group Holding’s response to Grant’s allegations, urging the organization to take responsibility for its leadership’s misconduct.
The complaint details Grant’s torment and accuses McMahon of sexual coercion and extreme cruelty. It also states that McMahon shared explicit photos of Grant with other WWE employees. It claims that McMahon cut ties with Grant in 2022 to keep his extramarital affair a secret from his wife enough to avoid divorce and essentially fired her.
Linda McMahon, Vince’s wife and a former top WWE executive, was involved with the Small Business Administration. The suit criticized WWE’s alleged failure to properly investigate McMahon’s behavior. Grant’s lawsuit ultimately seeks to void the nondisclosure agreement, alleging violations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, negligence, emotional distress, and civil battery. It also seeks unspecified monetary damages.
Read more: WWE boss Vince McMahon sued over alleged sexual assault, trafficking