New allegations and a lawsuit against Vince McMahon.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a lawsuit has been filed against Vince McMahon, WWE and former executive John Laurinaitis.
The lawsuit accuses McMahon of sex trafficking, emotional abuse, and sexual assault.
Janel Grant, a former employee at WWE’s headquarters, said in the lawsuit that she was abused and sexually exploited by McMahon while he was chief executive. She alleged that McMahon lured her with promises of career advancement, and then he allegedly exploited her and trafficked her to other men inside the company.
Grant reportedly 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. Grant’s lawsuit claims 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 lawsuit seeks a judgment that the NDA is invalid under state and federal law and compensatory and punitive damages under other laws, including the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
Statement from Janel Grant's lawyer, Ann Callis
"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, attorney for Ms. Grant. "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."
The lawsuit describes, in graphic detail, Grant's account of her interactions with McMahon. Readers can view the lawsuit, which comes with a trigger warning, by clicking here.
TRIGGER WARNING
Notably, McMahon was most aggressive when using the certain sex toys named after male WWE wrestlers and performers. McMahon named the sex toys so that the color of the toy matched the race of the wrestler—for example, a black “dildo” would be named after an African American wrestler and a white “dildo” would be named after a Caucasian wrestler. In addition to McMahon’s infatuation with pretending that other men (and, namely, certain WWE talent) were in the room with them, this was yet another incremental step in desensitizing Ms. Grant to his fantasy, and eventual demands that she perform sexual acts for and/or have sexual contact with others within WWE.
As one example of McMahon’s extreme depravity, on May 9, 2020, he defecated on Ms. Grant during a threesome, and then commanded her to continue pleasuring his “friend”— with feces in her hair and running down her back—while McMahon went to the bathroom to shower off. Upon his return from the bathroom, McMahon and his “friend” actively resumed the threesome, which lasted over an hour and a half, while Ms. Grant remained covered in McMahon’s filth. When McMahon’s “friend” left, McMahon ordered her to stay and to continue to sexually gratify him.
In June 2021, McMahon and Defendant Laurinaitis sexually assaulted Ms. Grant inside Laurinaitis’ office in WWE headquarters while colleagues were busy at their desks. Behind a locked door, the two men cornered her and pulled her in between them, forcibly touched her, before ultimately putting her on top of a table in between them. She begged them to stop, but they forced themselves on her, each taking turns restraining her for the other, while saying “No means yes” and “Take it, bitch.”
In March 2020, McMahon began sharing sexually explicit photographs and videos of Ms. Grant (including pornographic content he recorded) with other men both inside and outside the company, including with members of the television production “tech” team, executive(s), producer(s), and a world-famous athlete and former UFC Heavyweight Champion with whom WWE was actively trying to sign to a new contract (and ultimately did sign that contract).
During the May 18, 2019, encounter, Ms. Grant felt coerced into engaging in sexual activity and that McMahon had trapped her an impossible situation, as she feared adverse career and personal consequences and legal retaliation if she declined his advances. McMahon stated, “This is what I have been waiting for” as he performed oral sex on Ms. Grant. Ms. Grant asked that protection be used, and McMahon responded that there was no need to worry because he was “clean.” Feeling that she was being used for his gratification, Ms. Grant went numb and was unable to make eye contact. McMahon then flipped on his back and said, “Okay, jack ’em off.”
On March 26, 2020, McMahon sent a lengthy message to Ms. Grant describing in detail the circumstances surrounding sharing explicit photographs of Ms. Grant to a former WWE referee (referred to herein as “WWE Referee”). McMahon described how WWE Referee left to masturbate and told Ms. Grant she had made a perfect stranger very happy.
McMahon became the most important figure in Ms. Grant’s life as he meticulously asserted power and control over almost every aspect of it. Ms. Grant’s fears intensified over the consequences that could result from McMahon’s actions, particularly by sharing her naked pictures. She became paranoid, completely dependent on and worshipfully devoted to McMahon.
Victim Resources:
National Sexual Assault Hotline
Hours: Available 24 hours
1-800-656-4673
