26 January 2024 , 18:20
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Sports entertainment tycoon Vince McMahon has issued a firm denial in relation to the claims made by an ex-employee at the WWE headquarters after a lawsuit was filed accusing him of 'sexual abuse' and 'sex trafficking'.
In the court documents, Janel Grant alleged that the firm's then-chief executive 'abused and sexually exploited her' at the company's Stamford offices. Among the litany accusations levelled at the former chief executive of the world-leading wrestling promotion was that he had 'defecated' on her head.
The lawsuit, which has been issued to a federal court in Connecticut, also saw Grant allege that McMahon had engaged in 'trafficking her to men inside the company'. It was also claimed by Grant that she had been 'locked in an office' before McMahon and another member of staff 'took turns sexually assaulting her'.
The former member of staff claimed she first met McMahon back in 2019, before the ex-WWE chief eventually brought her time with the firm to close in 2022. The lawsuit purported that McMahon had 'dangled' job opportunities in front of Grant, while 'demonstrating an increasing lack of boundaries' towards her.
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After the tycoon's wife allegedly found out about what has been claimed to have taken place, the WWE figure then got her to sign an NDA to 'ensure her silence' over his purported actions, the lawsuit also suggested. After she 'succumbed to the pressure' she did agree to sign the NDA but she suggested that McMahon only paid one instalment of his $3million (£2.4m) settlement payments.
The spokesman for McMahon addressed the allegations put forward in the lawsuit, denying the claims made by Grant, saying: "This lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the truth. He will vigorously defend himself."
Speaking to Deadline, a spokesperson for TKO, the company that the 78-year-old is currently the executive chairman of, added: "Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE. 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."
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Vince McMahon is facing bombshell allegations of sexual misconduct against a former WWE staffer. (Michelle Farsi/Zuffa LLC)An internal investigation into claims of misconduct was conducted by the WWE in 2022 and it found that McMahon had purportedly paid settlements to other women who had made allegations. A probe was launched by federal agents last year as the former WWE figure was served a grand jury subpoena following the claims.
The sports entertainment confirmed: "on July 17, 2023, federal law enforcement agents executed a search warrant and served a federal grand jury subpoena on Mr. McMahon. No charges have been brought in these investigations."
As for McMahon, he also denied the allegations in a statement, adding: "Throughout this experience, I have always denied any intentional wrongdoing and continue to do so. I am confident that the government’s investigation will be resolved without any findings of wrongdoing."