WWE’s Vince McMahon has resigned from the TKO Group amid his sexual assault, trafficking and abuse lawsuit.
McMahon, 78, introduced Friday, January 26, that he’s stepping down from his function of government chairman on the media conglomerate that was created by Endeavor Group Holdings as a part of a merger between the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) final yr. The information comes simply sooner or later after former WWE staffer Janel Grant claimed she was a sufferer of “physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault and trafficking” throughout her employment underneath McMahon.
“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 shared in a press release to Us Weekly on Friday.
McMahon, who beforehand denied the allegations made by Grant, added, “I stand by my prior statement that Ms. Grant’s lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.”
While Hollywood could seem like all glitz and glam on the floor, the business has seen its justifiable share of scandals by way of the years. The New York Times and the New Yorker first printed investigative items in 2017 that accused disgruntled film producer Harvey Weinstein of many years of sexual assault and harassment. Soon after, Weinstein stood trial and was […]
Us obtained paperwork on Thursday, January 25, during which Grant alleged that McMahon displayed an “increasing lack of boundaries” after they met in 2019, claiming he would greet her “in his underwear, touched her, repeatedly asked for hugs, and spent hours sharing intimate details about his personal life.”
According to Grant, McMahon “pushed” her to have interaction in a bodily relationship in alternate for a job at WWE. Because she allegedly feared “negative consequences” if she turned him down, she claims she in the end “[succumbed] to the pressure.”
McMahon additionally allegedly shared sexually specific pictures of Grant with different males inside the WWE, had “increasingly depraved sexual demands” and coerced her into having intercourse with different staffers on the firm headquarters throughout working hours. This included WWE common supervisor John Laurinaitis, who was additionally named within the lawsuit together with the company as a complete.
Grant claimed the WWE knew concerning the “wrongdoing” and tried to cowl it up, with McMahon trying to silence her with a nondisclosure settlement. McMahon additionally allegedly “attempted to traffic her to a WWE star.”
After the information made headlines, TKO claimed that they had been “internally” addressing the scenario. “Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE,” a TKO spokesperson instructed Us in a press release on Thursday. “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.”
Vince McMahon was the CEO and Chairman of the Board at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for many years earlier than “voluntarily” stepping down. McMahon, who was a former professional wrestler earlier than taking up the WWE enterprise, confirmed in June 2022 that he was resigning from his publish whereas the corporate investigated misconduct claims in opposition to him. “I’ve […]
A spokesperson for McMahon, in the meantime, referred to as Grant’s allegations “lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the truth,” including that the professional wrestler will “vigorously defend himself.”
This just isn’t the primary time McMahon has confronted sexual assault expenses. In June 2022, a former worker accused him of paying a $3 million settlement to cowl up an alleged affair. Vince, who has been married to spouse Linda McMahon since 1966, denied the claims on the time earlier than voluntarily stepping down as CEO of WWE throughout an inside investigation. Vince’s daughter, Stephanie McMahon, served as co-CEO and chairwoman of the board of administrators following her father’s exit. She resigned from the corporate lower than every week after his return in January 2023.
If you or somebody you understand has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
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