Janel Grant, a former employee of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), has filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, co-founder of WWE, alleging serious sexual misconduct and sex trafficking. This lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, names not only McMahon but also WWE and former head of talent relations John Laurinaitis as defendants.
The Accusation
Grant’s lawsuit is a comprehensive 67-page document where she details allegations of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking during her time at WWE. She accuses McMahon of engaging in acts that caused her to “become numb to reality” in order to survive these encounters. Grant alleges that McMahon recruited people to have sex with her at WWE headquarters and subjected her to “extreme cruelty and degradation.”
The lawsuit also claims that McMahon distributed sexually explicit photos and videos of Grant to other men, including WWE employees, and accuses him of using her as a means to secure talent deals with prospective wrestlers. In addition to these allegations, Grant asserts that McMahon and Laurinaitis, using WWE property and funding, both engaged in sexual assault and trafficking of Grant for their pleasure and as a means of securing talent deals.
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McMahon, who stepped down as WWE’s CEO in 2022 amid similar allegations, denies these accusations. His spokesperson has stated that the lawsuit contains lies and made-up instances, insisting that McMahon will vigorously defend himself against these claims.
Who is Janel Grant?
Janel Grant worked in WWE’s legal and talent departments and agreed to be named in the case. She claims that her ordeal began when McMahon, who lived in the same building as her, befriended her in 2019. At that time, Grant was unemployed and struggling financially following her parents’ deaths. According to the lawsuit, McMahon’s abuse included physical advances, emotional manipulation, and using his position of power to coerce her into a sexual relationship with him and others.
Grant is seeking compensation and is aiming to void a $3 million non-disclosure agreement, of which she claims to have received only a portion. By waiving her anonymity, Grant hopes her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized in similar ways.
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The allegations against McMahon have cast a shadow over his legacy in the wrestling entertainment industry, especially given his long tenure and the transformation of WWE into a billion-dollar company under his leadership. WWE and its parent company, TKO Group Holdings, have stated they are taking the allegations seriously and are addressing the matter internally.
