Former WWE Employee Accuses Vince McMahon of Sex Trafficking and Abuse

A former employee of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has filed a lawsuit against the company’s founder, Vince McMahon, and a former WWE executive, accusing them of sex trafficking and abuse. The lawsuit was filed by Janel Grant in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.

In the lawsuit, Grant alleges that she was a victim of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking while working at the WWE. Grant’s attorney, Ann Callis, stated that the lawsuit aims to hold McMahon and Laurinaitis accountable for their actions, as well as the organization that facilitated or ignored the abuse.

According to the lawsuit, Grant met Vince McMahon, who was then the CEO of WWE, in March 2019. McMahon allegedly made promises of career advancement to Grant while engaging in increasingly inappropriate behavior towards her. Grant felt trapped in a situation where she had to either submit to McMahon’s sexual demands or face ruin.

The lawsuit alleges that McMahon coerced Grant into a physical relationship in exchange for employment at WWE. Grant eventually entered into the relationship and was given a job at the company. However, the lawsuit claims that the situation escalated, resulting in psychological torture, physical violence, and McMahon sharing explicit content of Grant with others.

Grant also accuses McMahon of recruiting others, including John Laurinaitis, to engage in sexual relations with her. The alleged sexual assault took place inside Laurinaitis’ office, with Grant pleading for them to stop while colleagues were busy at their desks.

The lawsuit further asserts that other individuals at WWE were aware of the abuse but actively sought to conceal it. Grant’s employment was terminated after McMahon claimed his wife had discovered their relationship and pressured her to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

Grant signed the NDA in exchange for payments from McMahon, which the lawsuit alleges were later discontinued. The lawsuit seeks to void the NDA and asks for compensatory and punitive damages for Grant.

The lawsuit also claims that McMahon attempted to traffic Grant to another WWE star in March 2022. Grant has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and is seeking justice to prevent further victimization of women.

WWE, TKO Group Holdings, Vince McMahon, and John Laurinaitis have not yet responded to the allegations made in the lawsuit.