Confidential Agreement in Case of Sexual Abuse in WWE
A former WWE executive, involved in a lawsuit over sexual abuse allegations filed by a former employee, has reached a confidential settlement. This agreement implies that the executive will collaborate with the plaintiff in her case against the company and former leader Vince McMahon, according to representatives and lawyers on Wednesday. John Laurinaitis, the former WWE head of talent relations, known as Johnny Ace in the ring, will provide support to Janel Grant in her lawsuit against McMahon and the sports entertainment company. Grant’s representatives and Laurinaitis’ lawyer, Edward Brennan, confirmed the settlement and cooperation agreement, noting that Laurinaitis possesses “evidence” against McMahon and the company, although they did not specify its nature.A court document filed on Wednesday indicates that Grant and Laurinaitis agreed to dismiss the claims in the lawsuit against Laurinaitis, but the allegations against WWE and McMahon remain. Jessica Rosenberg, McMahon’s lawyer, issued a statement in response.“Their confidential settlement agreement is a crucial step in holding McMahon and WWE accountable, and in bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking,” Grant and Laurinaitis’ representatives stated in a joint statement. “Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life. We cannot provide any further 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. Grant sued WWE, McMahon, and Laurinaitis last year in a federal court in Connecticut, where the company is headquartered in Stamford. In explicit detail, she alleges that McMahon forced her to have sexual relations with him, Laurinaitis, and others, and that both men sexually assaulted her. She claims she was forced to perform humiliating acts during the encounters. The lawsuit also includes photos of text messages of a sexual nature that McMahon allegedly sent to Grant. McMahon, former WWE CEO and chairman, has denied Grant’s accusations. Previously, he stated that the lawsuit is “full of lies, invented obscene instances that never happened, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these unfounded accusations and hope to clear my name.” His lawyers stated 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 finally 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, McMahon, WWE, and Laurinaitis’ motions to move all claims to arbitration are pending in the lawsuit. 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 stepped down 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 stated. “No matter how many press releases his team issues, the truth remains unchanged.”
Jessica Rosenberg, McMahon’s lawyer
