Confidential Agreement in Case of Sexual Abuse in WWE
A former WWE executive, involved in sexual abuse allegations, has reached a confidential agreement. This agreement implies that the former executive will collaborate with the plaintiff in her litigation against the company and former leader Vince McMahon, as confirmed by representatives and lawyers. 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 cooperation agreement and revealed that Laurinaitis possesses “evidence” against McMahon and the company, without specifying details.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.“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,” Grant and Laurinaitis’ representatives stated in a joint statement. “Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life. We cannot provide further details at this time.”
Joint Statement
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 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. He previously stated that the lawsuit is “rife with lies, fabricated obscene instances that never occurred, 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 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 managed by McMahon, and then moved to the talent relations department, where Laurinaitis was her boss. She affirmed 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 United States Secretary of Education, he also participated in 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 the same.
Jessica Rosenberg, McMahon’s lawyer
