Agreement in Case of Sexual Abuse: John Laurinaitis Will Cooperate with the Accuser
In an unexpected turn, a former WWE executive, involved in accusations of sexual abuse, has reached a confidential agreement with the plaintiff, a former employee. This agreement implies that the ex-executive, John Laurinaitis, will collaborate with the plaintiff in her litigation against the company and former leader Vince McMahon. Laurinaitis, known in the world of wrestling as Johnny Ace, will assist Janel Grant in her lawsuit against McMahon and the sports entertainment company. Representatives of Grant and Laurinaitis’ lawyer confirmed the settlement and cooperation agreement, noting that Laurinaitis possesses “evidence” against McMahon and the company. However, specific details about the nature of this evidence were not revealed.“Their 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,” Grant and Laurinaitis’ representatives stated in a joint statement. “Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life. We cannot provide additional details at this time.”
Joint statement from Grant and Laurinaitis’ representatives
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 persist.
McMahon’s lawyer, Jessica Rosenberg, issued a statement in response to the agreement.Rosenberg added that a lawyer for Laurinaitis had previously stated that the lawsuit’s allegations were unfounded.“The dismissal of John Laurinaitis as a defendant does not alter the facts of this case in any way. Vince McMahon never abused Janel Grant. No matter how many press releases her team issues, the truth remains unchanged.”
Jessica Rosenberg, Vince McMahon’s lawyer
Grant sued WWE, McMahon, and Laurinaitis last year in federal court in Connecticut, where the company is headquartered. 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. The lawsuit also includes photos of sexually explicit text messages 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 and fabricated and obscene incidents 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 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 arranged by McMahon, and was then transferred to the talent relations department, where Laurinaitis was her boss.
Grant has stated that she was finally pressured to leave her job at WWE and sign a non-disclosure agreement for 3 million dollars. The lawsuit seeks to have the agreement declared invalid, arguing that McMahon breached the agreement by giving her 1 million dollars 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 stepped down as WWE CEO in 2022 amid a company investigation into allegations similar to those in Grant’s lawsuit.
McMahon bought the then 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 currently the United States Secretary of Education, he also performed at WWE events as himself.
