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WWE Boss Vince McMahon Resigns Amid Sexual Trafficking Allegations
In the wake of sexual trafficking allegations from former WWE employee Janel Grant, Vince McMahon, the boss of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), has resigned from his position as Executive Chairman of TKO, WWE’s parent company, and from the TKO Board of Directors.
Janel Grant alleges that McMahon and another ex-executive, John Laurinaitis, sexually assaulted and trafficked her to entice wrestling talent.
McMahon, 78, vehemently denies the accusations, stating, “I stand by my prior statement that Ms. Grant’s lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth.”
In a statement released on Friday, McMahon expressed his decision to resign out of respect for the WWE Universe, TKO business, board members, shareholders, partners, and all employees who contributed to WWE’s global success.
He declared his resignation effective immediately.
WWE president Nick Khan confirmed McMahon’s resignation in a staff memo, noting that McMahon “will no longer have a role with TKO Group holdings or WWE.”
Janel Grant’s lawsuit details her accusations against McMahon, claiming that she was unemployed at the time of meeting him, dealing with her deceased parent’s bankruptcy.
The legal case asserts that McMahon pressured her into a physical relationship by promising her a job at WWE.
Grant alleges feeling trapped “in an impossible situation” – either submitting to McMahon’s demands or facing ruin.
The lawsuit further claims that McMahon “expected and directed Ms. Grant to engage in sexual activity at the WWE headquarters, even during working hours.”
Grant accuses both McMahon and Laurinaitis of sexually assaulting her at WWE headquarters in June 2021.
The resignation follows McMahon’s tumultuous period, during which he returned as WWE Chairperson in January 2023 after a board investigation over an alleged $3 million settlement with an ex-employee with whom he had a consensual affair.
Grant challenges the integrity of the investigation, labeling it “a sham” and accusing WWE of attempting to “sweep the matter under the rug,” as the committee never contacted her or requested documents from her.
Vince McMahon, who played a pivotal role in WWE’s growth into a global media entity with content broadcast in over 180 countries and 30 languages, faces a significant turning point in his career amid these serious allegations.
