Vince McMahon attends a press conference at MetLife Stadium on February 16, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Michael N. Todaro | Getty Images
WWE boss Vince McMahon was accused Thursday of sexual assault, trafficking, and physical and emotional abuse in a graphic lawsuit by a woman who previously worked for the pro wrestling giant.
The suit by Janel Grant — which alleges McMahon directed her to have sex with a WWE “superstar” and other men — seeks to void a nondisclosure agreement that Grant says she reached with McMahon in 2022. She said he agreed to pay her $3 million as part of that deal.
The suit says McMahon only paid her $1 million, “but failed to make any further payments.” Grant was one of several women who received payouts from McMahon over the years.
In addition to the 78-year-old McMahon, the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Connecticut names WWE and John Laurinaitis, the former head of talent relations and general manager, as defendants.
The complaint comes six months after federal lawsuit enforcement agents executed a search warrant on McMahon and served him with a grand jury subpoena as part of an investigation into McMahon’s payment of millions of dollars to multiple women after allegations of sexual misconduct.
McMahon last March paid WWE $17.4 million to cover costs related to a probe of the payouts by a law firm retained by the company.
WWE merged last year with the mixed martial arts company UFC. Both companies are now owned by TKO Group Holdings.
McMahon is executive chairman of the board of TKO, which on Tuesday announced that Netflix would pay $5 billion over 10 years to stream the WWE’s flagship program “Raw,” and carry all other WWE shows and specials outside the United States.
Grant”s lawyer, Ann Callis, in a statement, 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…
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