Confidential Agreement in Case of Sexual Abuse in WWE
A former WWE executive, who was facing accusations of sexual abuse in a lawsuit filed by a former employee, has reached a confidential settlement. Now, he 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 in the ring as Johnny Ace, will assist Janel Grant in her lawsuit against McMahon and the wrestling entertainment company. Representatives for Grant and Laurinaitis’ lawyer, Edward Brennan, confirmed the settlement and cooperation agreement, indicating that Laurinaitis possesses “evidence” against McMahon and the company, although they did not reveal details.
Your agreement to a confidentiality agreement is a crucial step in holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and human trafficking.
A court document filed on Wednesday indicates that Grant and Laurinaitis agreed to dismiss the charges against Laurinaitis, but the charges against WWE and McMahon continue.
Jessica Rosenberg, McMahon’s lawyer, issued a statement in response.
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 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. In graphic detail, she alleges that McMahon forced her to have sexual relations with him, Laurinaitis, and others, and claims that both men sexually assaulted her. She claims she was forced to perform humiliating acts during the encounters. The lawsuit also includes photos of sexual text messages that McMahon is said to have sent to Grant.
McMahon, former WWE CEO and chairman, has denied Grant’s allegations. He previously stated that the lawsuit is “rife with lies, fabricated obscene instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations and look forward to clearing 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 job arranged by McMahon, and was then transferred to the talent relations department, where Laurinaitis was her boss.
She has said 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, arguing that McMahon breached the agreement by giving her $1 million and not paying the rest.
Currently, in the lawsuit, McMahon, WWE, and Laurinaitis’ motions to move all claims to arbitration are pending. They stated 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’s chief executive officer in 2022 amid a company investigation into allegations that match 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.
