Former WWE Staffer Files Lawsuit against Vince McMahon
This post contains disturbing material including sex crimes - please proceed with caution.
Wrestling Weekly: Vince McMahon lawsuit, WWE's new deal with Netflix https://t.co/NxJnY2muc0
- Wrestling Observer (@WONF4W) January 26, 2024
I aint talking about the netflix deal fyi
A former staffer of the WWE, Janel Grant (who wishes to be named publicly) has filed a lawsuit against former CEO Vince McMahon and John Laurinitis of sexual misconduct - including trafficking.
“Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized,” her attorney, Ann Callis, said in a statement. "The organization is well aware of Mr. McMahon’s history of depraved behavior, and it’s time that they take responsibility for the misconduct of its leadership.”
The full lawsuit can be found here - I read it so you don't have to. A quick timeline of events after the jump. I will try to omit as much disturbing detail as possible, but it's all awful. This man is awful. This man needs to die.
Janel Grant is a former WEE employee who met Vince in 2019 because her building's resident manager texted McMahon to help her through her hardships and Vince agreed.
McMahon promised her job that never existed but kept showering her woth gifts and affirmations
Many meetings that McMahon requested with Grant were at his condo and greeted her in his underwear, was touchy, and general inapporpriate.
McMahon requested that she keep their relationship a secret.
After being pressured to have a physical relationshop with McMahon, Grant was given a position in the WWE as a "administrator-coordinator" - reporting to John Laurenitis
With the promise of being promoted to vice president of operations for talent relations - Grant had to maintain the physical relationship with McMahon or risk losing her job.
During 2020, McMahon would share explicit photos and videos of Grant and would share them with execs, tech team, producers, and a former UFC Heavyweight Champion.
During her stay in the WWE, Grant was coerced to continue a sexual relationship with McMahon as well as Laurinaitis including during work hours.
Even though this relationship was not a tightly kept secret amongst the WWE, once McMahon's wife found out about the "relationship" McMahon pressured Grant to sign a NDA.
McMahon threated to he'd release pornographic content and would face his legal resources. He also tells her that signing the NDA would mean that he would support her and safeguard her and pay for her silence.
Those payments stopped shortly after.
Even after the NDA - McMahon contined to exploit Grant - " including attempting to traffic her to a WWE star who would be in New York City for a live event and TV taping in March 2022. "
After media reports that there was a "hush money" payment scandal in June 2022 - the WWE released a statement saying that they will create a special commitee of board of directors to investigate the alleged misconduct.
Here's an article about that that talks about Vince stepping down and Stephanie being interim CEO.
The special commitee was bullshit, which makes sense because Stephanie had a whole segment on Smackdown thanking her father.
The special committee did not interview Grant or request any documents even though Grant stated that she would cooperate.
"Ms. Grant seeks a declaratory judgment that her NDA is invalid under Federal and State laws and asserts claims other laws, including the Trafficking Victims Protection Act."
Casues of Action (a set of predefined factual elements that allow for legal remedy) are as follows:
Count I Declaratory Relief - NDA Voided Under Speak Out Act, 42 U.S.C. § 19401 et seq. Against McMahon and WWE
Count II Declaratory Relief - NDA Voided Under Common Law Against McMahon and WWE
Count III Violation of TVPA, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1591, 1595 Against McMahon and Laurinaitis
Count IV Participating in Venture in Violation of TVPA, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1591, 1595 Against WWE
Count V Negligence Against WWE
Count VI Civil Battery Against McMahon and WWE
Count VII Civil Battery Against Laurinaitis and WWE
Count VIII Intentional or Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress Against McMahon and WWE
Count IX Intentional or Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress Against Laurinaitis and WWE
This what Grant requests out of all of this:
Declaratory judgment that the NDA is void and unenforceable, and does not bar any of Plaintiff’s claims against Defendants McMahon and WWE;
Judgment for compensatory damages, reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and punitive damages against Defendants pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1595 and other applicable laws; and
Such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.
I hope Janel finds justice.
Source, 2, 3, 4