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 litigation against the company and former leader Vince McMahon, according to representatives and lawyers who confirmed this Wednesday. John Laurinaitis, who was WWE’s 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. Grant’s representatives and Laurinaitis’s lawyer, Edward Brennan, confirmed the cooperation agreement and assured 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 continue. Jessica Rosenberg, McMahon’s lawyer, issued a statement in response.Their agreement for a confidential settlement is a crucial step in holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking.
Representatives for Grant and Laurinaitis
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 perform sexual acts with him, Laurinaitis, and others, and claims that both men sexually assaulted her. According to the lawsuit, 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, the former WWE CEO and chairman, has denied Grant’s accusations. He previously stated that the lawsuit is “filled with lies, invented obscene instances that never happened, and is a vengeful distortion of the truth. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these unfounded accusations, and I hope to clear my name.” His lawyers stated in court documents that he maintained 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 later 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, motions from McMahon, WWE, and Laurinaitis are pending in the lawsuit to move all claims to arbitration. They argue 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 the slightest. Vince McMahon never mistreated Janel Grant. No matter how many press releases his team issues, the truth remains the same.
Jessica Rosenberg, McMahon’s attorney
