WWE executive Vince McMahon and another former WWE executive have both been named in a damning lawsuit just days before the company’s highly anticipated Royal Rumble event.
On Thursday, an explosive lawsuit was brought forth by former WWE employee Janel Grant, who worked in the company’s legal and talent departments.
That lawsuit names McMahon and former head of talent relations John Laurinaitis as defendants and alleges that the two coerced Grant into a sexual relationship with a wrestler, and that the two also shared pornographic pictures and videos of her — including with other WWE employees.
The lawsuit was first filed in Connecticut (where WWE’s headquarters are located) and first reported on by The Wall Street Journal.
“Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized,” her attorney, Ann Callis, said in a statement, per ESPN. “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.”
The Journal reported: “Grant signed a nondisclosure agreement in 2022 in which McMahon agreed to pay $3 million for her to not discuss their relationship or to disparage him.
“The WWE received an anonymous tip in 2022 about the relationship and started a board investigation, which uncovered other payments by the CEO to women.
“Grant’s lawsuit said McMahon stopped making payments under the 2022 deal after the initial $1 million installment. The suit seeks to void the agreement and unspecified financial damages.”
The 67-page lawsuit includes a number of damning allegations.
WARNING: The rest of this piece will include graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing
In June 2021, Grant alleged that she was locked in a WWE office by McMahon and another executive, who then “took turns” sexually assaulting her.
A separate June 2021 incident alleges that McMahon locked Grant inside of his private locker room, then “forced himself” on her over a massage table. That same day, McMahon’s personal assistant delivers $15,000 in Bloomingdale’s gift cards to Grant.
While no specific dates were given, the lawsuit also alleges that McMahon sent her sexually explicit messages, with increasingly frequent sexual demands.
One such incident involved McMahon allegedly using sex toys on Grant that left her bleeding and bruised.
Grant also claims that she was ordered to sleep with Laurinaitis.
“I’ve left that hotel feeling bad about myself every time,” Grant told McMahon about her allegedly forced trysts with Laurinaitis.
Grant’s lawsuit alleges that this sordid affair began in 2019 when she was introduced to McMahon by chance (they lived in the same building). She claims that she was looking for work following the passing of her parents, and McMahon was willing to oblige — for favors.
The Journal reported: “Grant began working in June 2019 as an ‘administrator-coordinator,’ a position McMahon created for her in WWE’s legal department. She said she expressed concerns that the job felt unearned, but McMahon told her that all she needed to do was not tell anyone and that ‘it just has to look legit.’”
Perhaps the most alarming part of the lawsuit comes from the allegation that Grant was used as a sexual incentive to lure former UFC star and the then-unsigned WWE star Brock Lesnar.
McMahon allegedly texted Grant in August 2021 to say “that part of the deal [signing with WWE] was f***ing U.” Part of the deal involving Lesnar reportedly involved sending Lesnar videos of Grant urinating.
Grant also alleges that McMahon defecated on her head during a threesome, per The New York Post.
One text message from McMahon to Grant allegedly read: “i’m the only one who owns U and controls who I want to f*** U.”
McMahon also reportedly texted “She may scream and try to say NO!!although it would B difficult to say anything with a c*** down her throat” to Grant, recounting what he told WWE employees after alleging sharing sexually explicit photos with them.
TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of both WWE and UFC (and which McMahon is the executive chairman and major stakeholder of) released a statement, via Variety: “Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE. While this matter predates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally.”
McMahon, who has been grappling with these issues for some time now, vociferously denied the allegations.
“This lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the truth,” a representative for McMahon told the Journal. “He will vigorously defend himself.”
