Ex-WWE executive agrees to help accuser in sex abuse lawsuit against McMahon and WWE

A erstwhile WWE enforcement who had been warring sexual maltreatment allegations successful a suit by an ex-employee has agreed to a confidential colony and volition present assistance the accuser arsenic she continues suing the institution and erstwhile person Vince McMahon, representatives and lawyers said Wednesday.

John Laurinaitis, WWE's erstwhile caput of endowment relations — who erstwhile wrestled nether the sanction Johnny Ace — volition assistance Janel Grant successful her suit against McMahon and the worldwide wrestling amusement conglomerate. Representatives for Grant and Laurinaitis lawyer Edward Brennan confirmed the settlement-cooperation woody and said Laurinaitis has “evidence” against McMahon and the company, but wouldn't accidental what it was.

“His statement to a confidential colony is simply a pivotal adjacent measurement toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justness to Ms. Grant aft years of intersexual maltreatment and trafficking,” representatives for Grant and Laurinaitis said successful a associated statement. "Mr. Laurinaitis looks guardant to moving connected with his life. We cannot supply immoderate further details astatine this time.”

A tribunal papers filed Wednesday says Grant and Laurinaitis agreed to a dismissal of the lawsuit's claims against Laurinaitis, but allegations against the WWE and McMahon remain.

McMahon's lawyer, Jessica Rosenberg, issued a connection successful response.

“Today’s dismissal of John Laurinaitis arsenic a suspect doesn’t change the facts of this lawsuit successful immoderate way. Vince McMahon ne'er mistreated Janel Grant," Rosenberg said. “No substance however galore property releases her squad issues, the information remains unchanged.”

Rosenberg added that a lawyer for Laurinaitis antecedently said the lawsuit's allegations were unfounded.

Representatives for the WWE did not instantly instrumentality emails seeking remark Wednesday.

Grant sued the WWE, McMahon and Laurinaitis past twelvemonth successful national tribunal successful Connecticut, wherever the WWE is based successful Stamford. In graphic detail, she alleges McMahon coerced her into enactment acts with him, Laurinaitis and others, and she claims some men sexually assaulted her. She says she was made to bash humiliating acts during the encounters. The suit besides includes photos of intersexual texts it says McMahon sent Grant.

McMahon, erstwhile CEO and president of WWE, has denied Grant’s allegations. He has antecedently said the suit is “replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that ne'er occurred, and is simply a vindictive distortion of the truth. I mean to vigorously support myself against these baseless accusations, and look guardant to clearing my name.” His lawyers said successful tribunal documents that helium had a consensual narration with Grant and ne'er mistreated her.

Grant archetypal started moving for the WWE successful 2019 arsenic an entry-level worker successful its ineligible department, a occupation arranged by McMahon, and aboriginal transferred to the endowment relations department, wherever Laurinaitis was her boss.

Grant has said she was yet pressured into leaving her occupation with the WWE and signing a $3 cardinal nondisclosure agreement. The suit besides seeks to person the statement declared invalid, saying McMahon breached the woody by giving her $1 cardinal and failing to wage the rest.

Currently pending successful the suit are motions by McMahon, the WWE and Laurinaitis to determination each the claims to arbitration. They said the suit should not beryllium allowed due to the fact that Grant agreed to settee immoderate disputes successful arbitration arsenic portion of her nondisclosure agreement.

McMahon resigned from WWE’s genitor institution successful January 2024 aft Grant filed her lawsuit. At the time, McMahon stepped down from his presumption arsenic enforcement seat of the committee of directors astatine WWE’s genitor company, TKO Group Holdings.

McMahon besides resigned arsenic WWE’s CEO successful 2022 amid a institution investigation into allegations that lucifer those successful Grant's lawsuit.

McMahon bought what was past the World Wrestling Federation successful 1982 and transformed it from a determination wrestling institution into a worldwide phenomenon. Besides moving the institution with his wife, Linda, who is present the U.S. acquisition secretary, helium besides performed astatine WWE events arsenic himself.