Vince McMahon is in some legal trouble again. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, a woman who received a payout from the WWE boss has accused him, the company, and a former executive of sex trafficking in a new lawsuit. Janel Grant, a former employee at WWE headquarters, filed the lawsuit on Thursday morning and said she was abused and sexually exploited by McMahon while he was the company’s chief executive. She alleged that McMahon lured her with promises of career advancement, and then allegedly exploited her and trafficked her to other men in WWE.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court, and Grant also alleged that McMahon and another WWE executive locked her in an office in WWE’s headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut on June 15, 2021, and took turns sexually assaulting her while other staff were working. Over a week later, McMahon locked Grant inside his private locker room at WWE’s offices and forced himself on her over a massage table. Later that day, McMahon’s personal assistant delivered $15,000 in Blommingdale’s gift cars to Grant in her office.
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Screenshots of explicit text messages that McMahon allegedly sent to Grant are also included in the lawsuit. A message from May 2020 reads: “i’m the only one who owns U and controls who I want to f— U.” Grant also alleged that McMahon shared nude photos and explicit videos of her without consent with other WWE employees, unnamed executive and stars, and directed her to have sex with them.
“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 then swept it under the rug,” said Ann Callis, Grant’attorney, said in a statement “She is an incredibly private and courageous person who has suffered deeply at the hands of Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis. Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized. The organization is well aware of Mr. McMahon’s history of depraved behavior, and it’s time that they take responsibility for the misconduct of its leadership.”
In 2022, Grant signed a nondisclosure agreement in which McMahon agreed to pay her $3 million if she didn’t discuss their relationship or to disparage him. WWE received an anonymous tip in 2022 about their relationship, which led to an investigation. That investigation uncovered other monthly payments by McMahon to women. He retired briefly in July 2022 following a report of payouts to multiple women who had alleged sexual misconduct. McMahon returned in early 2023 and is now the executive chairman and major shareholder of the combined WWE-UFC company called TKO Group.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org
