Confidential Agreement in Case of Sexual Abuse in WWE
A former WWE executive, facing accusations of sexual abuse in a lawsuit filed by a former employee, has reached a confidential settlement. This agreement implies that the executive will collaborate with the plaintiff in her litigation against the company and former leader Vince McMahon, according to representatives and lawyers on Wednesday. John Laurinaitis, former WWE head of talent relations and known as Johnny Ace in the ring, will assist Janel Grant in her lawsuit against McMahon and the wrestling entertainment company. Grant’s representatives and Laurinaitis’ lawyer, Edward Brennan, confirmed the settlement and cooperation agreement, indicating that Laurinaitis possesses “evidence” against McMahon and the company, without specifying what it is.A court document filed on Wednesday indicates that Grant and Laurinaitis agreed to dismiss the claims in the lawsuit against Laurinaitis, although the accusations against WWE and McMahon persist. Jessica Rosenberg, a lawyer for McMahon, issued a statement in response.Their confidential settlement agreement is a fundamental step in holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking, Grant and Laurinaitis’ representatives said in a joint statement. Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life. We cannot provide additional details at this time.
Grant and Laurinaitis Representatives
Rosenberg added that a lawyer for Laurinaitis had previously stated that the lawsuit’s allegations were unfounded. WWE representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday. Grant sued WWE, McMahon, and Laurinaitis last year in a federal court in Connecticut, where the company is headquartered in Stamford. With explicit details, she alleges that McMahon forced her to perform sexual acts with him, Laurinaitis, and others, and claims that both men sexually assaulted her. She says she was forced to do humiliating acts during the encounters. The lawsuit also includes photos of sexual text messages that McMahon allegedly sent to Grant. McMahon, former WWE CEO and chairman, has denied Grant’s accusations. Previously, he stated that the lawsuit is “rife with lies, fabricated obscene instances that never happened, and is a vengeful distortion of the truth. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these unfounded accusations and hope to clear my name.” His lawyers said in court documents that he had a consensual relationship with Grant and never mistreated her. Grant began working for WWE in 2019 as an entry-level employee in its legal department, a position managed by McMahon, and was then transferred to the talent relations department, where Laurinaitis was her boss. She has stated that she was pressured to leave her job at WWE and sign a $3 million non-disclosure agreement. The lawsuit seeks to have the agreement declared invalid, alleging that McMahon breached the agreement by giving her $1 million and not paying the rest. Currently, motions from McMahon, WWE, and Laurinaitis are pending in the lawsuit to move all claims to arbitration. They argued that the lawsuit should not be allowed because Grant agreed to resolve any disputes in arbitration as part of his confidentiality agreement. McMahon resigned from WWE’s parent company in January 2024 after Grant filed his lawsuit. At that time, McMahon resigned from his position as executive chairman of the board of directors of TKO Group Holdings, WWE’s parent company. He also resigned as WWE CEO in 2022 amid a company investigation into allegations similar to those in Grant’s lawsuit. McMahon bought what was then the World Wrestling Federation in 1982 and transformed it from a regional wrestling company into a global phenomenon. In addition to running the company with his wife, Linda, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Education, he also performed at WWE events as himself.The dismissal of John Laurinaitis as a defendant does not alter the facts of this case in any way. Vince McMahon never mistreated Janel Grant, Rosenberg said. No matter how many press releases his team issues, the truth remains the same.
Jessica Rosenberg, McMahon’s lawyer
