WWE boss Vince McMahon has been accused of sexual assault, trafficking, and physical and emotional abuse in a lawsuit filed by a former employee. The suit, brought by Janel Grant, alleges that McMahon directed her to have sex with a WWE "superstar" and other men. Grant is seeking to void a nondisclosure agreement she reached with McMahon in 2022, claiming that he only paid her $1 million of the agreed $3 million. McMahon, who is 78 years old, is named as a defendant in the suit, along with the WWE and John Laurinaitis, the former head of talent relations and general manager.
This lawsuit comes six months after federal agents executed a search warrant on McMahon and served him with a grand jury subpoena as part of an investigation into his payment of millions of dollars to multiple women following allegations of sexual misconduct. McMahon paid WWE $17.4 million last March to cover costs related to a probe of the payouts.
McMahon, who is the executive chairman of TKO Group Holdings, recently announced that Netflix will pay $5 billion over 10 years to stream WWE's flagship program "Raw" and other shows.
Grant's lawyer, Ann Callis, stated that the complaint seeks to hold accountable the WWE executives who allegedly assaulted and trafficked Grant, as well as the organization that facilitated or turned a blind eye to the abuse. Callis described Grant as a private and courageous person who hopes that her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized. The WWE and TKO have not yet commented on the lawsuit.
The lawsuit details McMahon's alleged coercion and sexual demands, claiming that he recruited individuals to have sexual relations with Grant and directed her to engage in sexual activity at WWE headquarters. The suit also accuses McMahon of subjecting Grant to extreme cruelty and degradation. In January 2022, McMahon allegedly ended his relationship with Grant after his wife learned about it.
In addition to seeking to void the nondisclosure agreement, Grant's suit alleges violations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, negligence, intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress, and civil battery.