Federal authorities have begun an investigation into ex-WWE CEO Vince McMahon for sexual assault and sex trafficking following accusations made by a former employee.
Janel Grant filed a lawsuit in Connecticut federal court last week, accusing McMahon of coercing her into having sex with him and other men.
According to The Wall Street Journal, federal prosecutors in New York are contacting McMahon’s other alleged victims:
The billionaire resigned last week from the wrestling empire he long ran after former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexually abusing her and trafficking her to other men inside WWE.
McMahon has denied Grant’s allegations and said the federal probe won’t find wrongdoing. He referred to a statement from last week: “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.”
WWE didn’t respond to requests about the probe or about the individual women’s allegations.
Over the summer, federal agents executed a search warrant for McMahon’s phone and delivered a subpoena to him for documents related to any allegation of “rape, sex trafficking, sexual assault, commercial sex transaction, harassment or discrimination” against current or former WWE employees.
Grant signed a nondisclosure agreement in 2022 in which McMahon agreed to pay her $3 million in exchange for not disparaging him. Grant’s suit claims McMahon stopped payments to her after the first $1 million installment.
An independent investigation by the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett found McMahon paid $12 million to four women to keep their allegations of sexual misconduct quiet.
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Patrick Houck is an avid political enthusiast based out of the Washington, D.C., metro area. His expertise is in campaigns and the use of targeted messaging to persuade voters. When not combing through the latest news, you can find him enjoying the company of family and friends or pursuing his love of photography.
