Vince McMahon Announces Resignation Amid Trafficking Lawsuit

Vince McMahon has handed in his resignation from TKO Group, the father or mother firm of WWE, amid new claims of sexual misconduct in opposition to him.

The agency introduced his exit via a press release launched on Friday (January 26).

Vince McMahon Resigns From TKO Group

But McMahon has maintained his innocence regardless of stepping down, insinuating the lawsuit had not influenced his determination to resign.

In his assertion, he branded the go well with as nothing greater than “lies” and “obscene made-up instances.”

“I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations and look forward to clearing my name,” he wrote, per NBC News.

“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.”

Janel Grant, a former authorized and expertise division worker, filed a lawsuit in opposition to McMahon and John Laurinaitis, the previous head of expertise relations.

McMahon turned conversant in Grant as they previously lived in the identical constructing, the go well with notes, per the Wall Street Journal.

Allegations About Sexual Misconduct

It is alleged that the previous government provided her a job at WWE shortly after Grant’s mother and father handed away in 2019.

But McMahon, in accordance with the go well with, allegedly insinuated the job got here with particular necessities.

Grant’s docs declare that McMahon was solely keen to rent her if she agreed to a sexual relationship with him. Additionally, terminating the association meant shedding her job.

The allegations in her courtroom paperwork, per CNN, embrace sexual abuse and trafficking by providing her to a different well-known wrestler for intercourse.

The identification of the athlete in query was not disclosed within the courtroom papers.

But she additionally accused McMahon of sharing raunchy photographs and movies of her with different male staff on the firm. This allegedly created an unfit atmosphere for Grant to proceed working in.

The plaintiff claims that a number of males on the WWE headquarters coerced her to carry out sexual acts throughout work hours at sure instances. Laurinaitis, particularly, allegedly made her interact in intimate encounters earlier than her shift would begin.

In 2022, she claims each McMahon and Laurinaitis sexually assaulted her in one of many WWE places of work.

The firm allegedly let Grant go in 2022 earlier than pressuring her into signing a non-disclosure settlement, per The Hill.

Vince Previously Stepped Down As CEO Of WWE

That identical yr, in July, Vince retired as CEO of WWE amid an investigation into sexual misconduct. In November, the corporate’s investigation discovered 4 ladies acquired “almost $15 million” over 16 years to deal with misconduct allegations, per NBC. Still, Vince was allowed to regain “control over…affairs” within the firm.

CEO Ari Emmanuel has assured that they’re actively addressing the extreme allegations internally whereas coping with McMahon’s abrupt exit.

“Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE,” he mentioned, in accordance Deadline. “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.”