A former World Wrestling Entertainment employee filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the company, its founder Vince McMahon and a former WWE executive, accusing them of sex trafficking and abuse.
Janel Grant, who is the former employee of WWE, claimed in the lawsuit that she was subjected to “physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking at WWE.” The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
“Today’s complaint seeks to hold accountable two WWE executives who sexually assaulted and trafficked Plaintiff Janel Grant, as well as the organization that facilitated or turned a blind eye to the abuse and then swept it under the rug,” Ann Callis, an attorney for Grant, said in a statement to NBC News. “She is an incredibly private and courageous person who has suffered deeply at the hands of Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis.”
Callis stated that Grant hopes the lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Vince McMahon, and John Laurinaitis, the other former executive named in the lawsuit, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A spokesperson for WWE’s parent company TKO Group Holdings stated that, “furthermore, while this matter pre-dates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally.”
The lawsuit includes accusations of sex trafficking, civil battery, intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress and negligence. According to the lawsuit, Grant met McMahon in March 2019, while he was the company’s chief executive, and he “dangled career-making and life-changing promises” while engaging in increasingly inappropriate behavior toward her.
McMahon allegedly pushed Grant for a physical relationship in exchange for promised employment at WWE, the lawsuit said, adding that she “felt trapped in an impossible situation” where she could either submit to his sexual demands or face ruin.
“Ms. Grant feared she had everything to lose and faced negative consequences no matter what happened,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit said that Grant eventually entered into a physical relationship with McMahon and was given employment at the WWE. However, despite Grant’s expressions of unhappiness and attempts to end the sexual relationship, she was coerced to continue the physical relationship as part of her employment.
The lawsuit alleges that in 2020, McMahon began sharing sexually explicit photographs and videos of Grant with unnamed men inside and outside of the wrestling company. Grant also claims in the lawsuit that others at WWE knew what was going on but “actively sought to conceal the wrongdoing.”
The alleged abuse and predatory behavior “has left Ms. Grant crippled, both physically and mentally,” and she suffers with “debilitating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder,” the lawsuit said.
WWE is alleged to have attempted to “sweep the matter under the rug” following media reports of McMahon’s involvement in a hush money payment scandal, announcing a special committee or its board of directors to investigate the alleged misconduct, the lawsuit said.
Grant alleged that the special committee never interviewed her or requested any documents, despite Grant saying she would cooperate, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is seeking to void the NDA as well as compensatory and punitive damages. WWE said earlier this month that McMahon, also a majority shareholder, would be reinstated to the company’s board. McMahon had initially stepped down as CEO in 2022 after an investigation found that he had paid nearly $15 million to four women over 16 years to quiet claims of sexual misconduct. Even during his leave, McMahon maintained control over the company as a majority shareholder. In a November regulatory filing, WWE said, “Mr. McMahon can effectively exercise control over our affairs.”
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