Agreement in Case of Sexual Abuse Shakes the World of Wrestling
In an unexpected turn, a former WWE executive, who was facing accusations of sexual abuse in a lawsuit filed by a former employee, has reached a confidential settlement. This agreement stipulates that the former executive will collaborate with the plaintiff in her litigation against the company and former leader Vince McMahon, according to representatives and lawyers who reported on Wednesday. John Laurinaitis, former WWE head of talent relations and known in the ring as Johnny Ace, will provide support to 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 mentioned 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. In response, McMahon’s lawyer, Jessica Rosenberg, issued a statement. 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. No matter how many press releases his team issues, the truth remains the same. Rosenberg added that a lawyer for Laurinaitis had previously stated that the allegations in the lawsuit were unfounded. Grant sued WWE, McMahon, and Laurinaitis last year in a federal court in Connecticut, where the company is headquartered in Stamford. She detailed accusations that McMahon forced her to have sexual relations with him, Laurinaitis, and others, and claimed that both men sexually assaulted her. According to Grant, she was forced to perform humiliating acts during the encounters. The lawsuit includes photos of text messages of a sexual nature that she says McMahon sent her. 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 claimed 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 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, pending in the lawsuit are motions by McMahon, WWE, and Laurinaitis 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 left 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.Their agreement for a confidential settlement is a crucial step in holding McMahon and WWE accountable, and in bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking.
Representatives for Grant and Laurinaitis
