Source: Ethan Miller / Getty
STANFORD, Conn. — WWE’s founder and current TKO Group executive chairman Vince McMahon has been accused of sex trafficking in a new lawsuit.
The lawsuit, detailed in an extensive Wall Street Journal investigation, lists several complaints of sexual assault, trafficking, and rape against WWE’s longtime boss and figurehead. McMahon, 78, has faced several accusations of sexual harassment for the last two years.
The Wall Street Journal began their investigation in 2022 after sources informed their reporters of several multi-million-dollar payoffs and NDA’s involving McMahon and WWE’s former head of Talent Relations, John Laurinaitis.
This latest suit says Janel Grant was hired by McMahon in 2019 and sexually abused and raped over the course of about three years. The suit contains images of text messages apparently sent by McMahon and details instances of graphic sexual assault and defecation. Grant’s sexual favors were also apparently key to a contract negotiation with a WWE and UFC star, which the Wall Street Journal believes to be Brock Lesnar.
The full lawsuit can be read here. Reader discretion advised.
TKO Group was created last fall to serve as the parent company of WWE and UFC, both owned by Endeavor.
Vince McMahon was named Executive Chairman of TKO.
TKO Group sent this statement to Variety: “Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE. While this matter predates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally.”
McMahon’s spokesperson sent a statement to Deadline: “This lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the truth. He will vigorously defend himself.”
