If you were a wrestling fan in the ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s, you know Vince McMahon. The former exec has now left the world he built in disgrace following horrifying allegations from a former employee.
As of February 2nd, news broke that McMahon is now under federal investigation. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, via ComicBook.com, agents “executed a search warrant for McMahon’s phone” and “delivered a subpoena to him” last year. McMahon was instructed to turn over any documents that pertained to the “rape, sex trafficking, sexual assault, commercial sex transaction, harassment or discrimination” allegations against him and any current or former WWE employees. McMahon also had to turn over communications between himself and the women he paid “hush money” to as his own alleged coverup.
McMahon has been accused of sex trafficking, rape, and workplace harassment by his former employee, Janel Grant. According to The Wall Street Journal, Grant accused McMahon of multiple assaults in 2021, feeling as if she was “coerced into engaging in sexual activity and that McMahon had trapped her an impossible situation.” Her full claims are available online—though it should be noted that the details are quite disturbing.
This is far from the first time that something like this has happened with McMahon, who has been ingrained in the WWE since nearly the start. McMahon was CEO until 2022, when Triple H (Paul Levesque) took over creative control of the WWE and became the COO of the company. McMahon, who was still a part of TKO, has now officially severed ties with the company as a whole because of the allegations.
The fact that these are the allegations that finally got McMahon out of the WWE and TKO is beyond gross, especially since he has a history of similar behavior.
This is not the first time
One of the reasons that McMahon resigned back in 2022 was because of an investigation into the WWE. A Wall Street Journal report found that millions of dollars were allegedly paid out as “hush money” to hide sexual misconduct and infidelity within the company. The allegations spawned an internal investigation, which found that McMahon allegedly spent $19.6 million dollars over 16 years—none of which was recorded as “expenses” for the company—paying women who had accused him of sexual misconduct to stay quiet.
Beyond the money that McMahon spent from the WWE, he was also accused of sexual assault back in 2006; McMahon was arrested in Boca Raton and charged with sexual battery. The case ultimately did not make it to court.
McMahon is denying the claims
In response to Grant’s allegations, McMahon claims that they are not true and are “made-up instances.” Speaking exclusively with Deadline, McMahon said that he will “vigorously defend” himself against these “baseless accusations” in an effort to clear his sullied name:
“However, out of respect for the WWE Universe, the extraordinary TKO business and its board members and shareholders, partners and constituents, and all of the employees and Superstars who helped make WWE into the global leader it is today, I have decided to resign from my executive chairmanship and the TKO board of directors, effective immediately.”
McMahon leaving the organization is not enough. Work must be done to change the power structure of the WWE, especially if McMahon got away with this for as long as he did. Hopefully with new leadership under Levesque and the allegations coming to light, we can start to see reform in the organization as a whole.
(featured image: Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
