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☆ Former WWE employee suing Vince McMahon agrees to pause her case pending a federal investigation, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Chloe Melas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon speaks at a news conference announcing the WWE Network at the 2014 International CES in Las Vegas. Janel Grant, a former employee of World Wrestling Entertainment who in a January lawsuit accused founder Vince McMahon of sex trafficking and abuse, has agreed to temporarily pause her case pending a federal investigation. An attorney for McMahon maintained that the allegations against McMahon were false. WWE and its parent company, TKO , have said that they take Grant's allegations "very seriously." WWE had disclosed last summer that investigators served McMahon with a federal grand jury subpoena and executed a search warrant in July.

Persons: Vince McMahon, Janel Grant, Grant, Ann Callis, McMahon, Jessica Rosenberg, John Laurinaitis, Callis, Laurinaitis Organizations: WWE, WWE Network, World Wrestling Entertainment, NBC News, U.S, Attorney, Southern, of, The Southern, District of Connecticut, World Wrestling Locations: Las Vegas, of New York, U.S

WWE and its parent company, TKO, have said that they take Grant's allegations "very seriously." Staying in touchMcMahon has also talked to Trump, according to two of the people close to the wrestling impresario. The two billionaires have been in touch regularly, according to a person close to McMahon, although it isn't clear what they've discussed. Another person close to McMahon said that the two men don't discuss their legal problems and that Trump doesn't provide legal advice. Publicly, Johnson has thanked TKO and WWE executives regarding his addition to the TKO board earlier this year.

Persons: Vince McMahon, Donald Trump, Mark, McMahon, Janel Grant, he's, hasn't, Mark Shapiro, doesn't, McMahon hasn't, Paul, Levesque, Stephanie McMahon, wasn't, Jessica Rosenberg, Grant's, Jan, John Laurinaitis, Janel, couldn't, Ann Callis, Grant, Nicholas Biase, Linda McMahon, McMahon's, Bill Pugliano, Donald J, Trump, Dwayne, Johnson, John Cena, Cena, Howard Stern, I'm, William Morris, Cena didn't, Endeavor Group's, Ari Emanuel, Brendan Mcdermid Organizations: WWE, Austin Straubel, Getty, World Wrestling, NBC News, CNBC, Triple, Federal, U.S, Attorney's, Southern, of, Trump, WWE Hall of Fame, PAC, Trump Media, Technology Group, Street Journal, Trump Foundation, Hollywood, William, William Morris Endeavor, Endeavor Group, Endeavor, Endeavor Group's UFC, Longtime Hollywood, New York Stock Exchange Locations: Green Bay , Wisconsin, United States, Caicos, Italy, of New York, Connecticut, Manhattan, Atlantic City, Trump's, York, New York City, U.S

Last week, the company, McMahon and a former WWE executive were sued by a former employee alleging those crimes. McMahon has also discussed being under federal investigation and having a phone seized by federal officials, a senior-level WWE executive and another personal friend told NBC News. Representatives for McMahon, TKO Group and WWE did not immediately respond Friday to requests for comment on the federal investigation. McMahon is no stranger to allegations of sexual assault — and has survived several during his reign at the company. McMahon also faced federal conspiracy charges alleging orchestrated steroid use among WWE wrestlers, and he was found not guilty by a jury in 1994.

Persons: Vince McMahon, McMahon, Nicholas Biase, Janel Grant, John Laurinaitis, Laurinaitis, Rita Chatterton Organizations: MetLife, Former, Wrestling Entertainment, NBC News, WWE, U.S, Attorney's Locations: East Rutherford , New Jersey

☆ Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque makes public comments after WWE employee’s sex trafficking accusations against Vince McMahon
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the chief content officer at World Wrestling Entertainment, made his first public comments after Vince McMahon resigned Friday from the board of WWE’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, in the wake of a former employee’s lawsuit accusing McMahon of sex trafficking, sexual assault and physical abuse. The horrifying allegations against McMahon were brought forward by Janel Grant, who worked at WWE’s headquarters. Grant alleged McMahon promised a job — and later promotions — at WWE in exchange for sex. Grant’s lawsuit also includes allegations McMahon trafficked her to other men inside and outside the company, including John Laurinaitis, a former wrestler who worked in the company’s talent relations department. The deal valued the newly combined company at over $21 billion, with WWE shareholders owning 49% of the combined company.

Persons: New York CNN — Paul “, New York CNN — Paul “ Triple H ” Levesque, Vince McMahon, McMahon, WWE’s, Levesque, McMahon’s, ” Levesque, he’s, Janel Grant, Grant, —, John Laurinaitis, Laurinaitis, Ari, Cody Rhodes, Dwayne “, ” Johnson, Samantha Delouya, Elizabeth Wagmeister, Jordan Valinsky Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Paul “ Triple, World Wrestling Entertainment, Holdings, WWE, Endeavor, UFC, Netflix Locations: New York, St . Petersburg , Florida, WWE’s, Laurinaitis, Hollywood

McMahon stepped down from the his position as executive chairman of the board of directors at WWE’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, according to a statement released late Friday. McMahon's statement said that he was leaving the board “out of respect” for WWE and TKO Group. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE,” TKO Group said earlier this week. According to the lawsuit, McMahon lived in the same building as Grant and in 2019 offered to get her a job at WWE after her parents died. “WWE benefited financially from the commercial sex act venture orchestrated by McMahon, including by having wrestling talent, such as WWE Superstar, sign new contracts with WWE after McMahon presented Plaintiff as a sexual commodity for their use,” the lawsuit states.

Persons: Vince McMahon, McMahon, Janel Grant, Grant, ”, “, ” McMahon, “ Mr, ” Grant, John Laurinaitis, Laurinaitis, McMahon lavished, —, Ms, Ann Callis Organizations: WWE, AP, World Wrestling Federation, Holdings, “ WWE Locations: STAMFORD, Conn, Connecticut

☆ Vince McMahon Cuts W.W.E. Ties After Sex Trafficking Accusation
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Kevin Draper | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Vince McMahon, the longtime chairman and former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment, resigned from the board of W.W.E.’s parent company on Friday, one day after a former employee accused him of sexual assault and sex trafficking in a lawsuit. Mr. McMahon, 78, was the executive chairman of TKO Group, the parent company of W.W.E., where he no longer held a formal position. “He will no longer have a role with TKO Group Holdings or W.W.E.,” Mr. Khan wrote in the email, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times. The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, accuses Mr. McMahon of trafficking the employee, Janel Grant, as well as physically and emotionally abusing her. executive, and the company itself as defendants, says that Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis had once taken turns raping Ms. Grant, among numerous other allegations.

Persons: Vince McMahon, McMahon, Nick Khan, “, ” Mr, Khan, Mr, Janel Grant, John Laurinaitis, Laurinaitis, Grant Organizations: World Wrestling Entertainment, The New York Times Locations: Connecticut

☆ Vince McMahon, WWE founder, resigns amid sex trafficking allegations
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Vince McMahon has resigned from his role as executive chairman of TKO, the parent company of WWE, following disturbing allegations of sexual assault, trafficking and physical abuse. In the lawsuit, Grant alleged that McMahon dangled a job offer at WWE – and later promotions – in exchange for sex. McMahon engaged in acts of “extreme cruelty and degradation” toward Grant during her time at WWE, the lawsuit alleged. He initially retired from his role as CEO and chairman of WWE in July 2022 amid allegations of sexual misconduct. The investigation was closed in November 2022 and McMahon returned to WWE’s board in January 2023.

Persons: Vince McMahon, Janel Grant, behemoth McMahon, McMahon, ” McMahon, Grant, John Laurinaitus, Nick Khan, ” Khan, “ McMahon, ” McMahon’s, Grant’s, Ari, “, Ann Callis, McMahon’s, Dwayne “, ” Johnson, ”, Johnson Organizations: CNN, WWE, UFC, Hollywood, Ari Emanuel’s Endeavor Group, Netflix Locations: Laurinaitis

Vince McMahon, executive chairman of the board of TKO Group Holdings and founder of wrestling giant WWE, has resigned his positions at both companies, according to a WWE memo obtained by CNBC and confirmed by the company. "Vince McMahon has tendered his resignation from his positions as TKO Executive Chairman and on the TKO Board of Directors. He will no longer have a role with TKO Group Holdings or WWE," said Nick Khan, president of the WWE. The announcement came in the wake of allegations made public Thursday, of sexual assault and sex trafficking, against McMahon. The latest allegations against McMahon were in a lawsuit filed by Janel Grant — who alleges McMahon directed her to have sex with a WWE "superstar" and other men.

Persons: Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, McMahon, Janel Grant —, Grant's, Grant, John Laurinaitis Organizations: WWE, MetLife, Holdings, CNBC Locations: East Rutherford , New Jersey, U.S, Connecticut

☆ Vince McMahon accused of trafficking former WWE employee in new lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Samantha Delouya | Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —A former WWE staffer has accused the company’s founder, Vince McMahon, of sexual assault, trafficking and physical abuse in a lawsuit filed Thursday. In a statement, WWE’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, said McMahon does not control TKO or oversee day-to-day operations at WWE. Led by McMahon, WWE and UFC, a mixed-martial arts entertainment competitor, announced in April 2023 that they would combine to form TKO. Lawsuit details disturbing allegationsAccording to the lawsuit, Grant was introduced to McMahon in 2019 when she was looking for work. The lawsuit also detailed an alleged sexual assault among Grant, McMahon and Laurinaitis that occurred at WWE’s headquarters in 2021.

Persons: CNN —, Vince McMahon, Janel Grant, McMahon, Grant, –, John Laurinaitis, ”, WME, Ann Callis, “, ” Callis, Mr, ” McMahon, Ari, Dwayne “, ” Johnson, Johnson Organizations: CNN, WWE, UFC, ” WWE, Endeavor, Netflix Locations: Connecticut, McMahon’s, Laurinaitis, Hollywood

A former WWE employee filed a federal lawsuit Thursday accusing executive Vince McMahon and another former executive of serious sexual misconduct, including offering her to a star wrestler for sex. Grant also names as defendants in the lawsuit the WWE and John Laurinaitis, the company's former head of talent relations and general manager. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE," TKO Group said in a statement. According to the lawsuit, McMahon lived in the same building as Grant and in 2019 offered to get her a job at WWE after her parents died. “WWE benefited financially from the commercial sex act venture orchestrated by McMahon, including by having wrestling talent, such as WWE Superstar, sign new contracts with WWE after McMahon presented Plaintiff as a sexual commodity for their use,” the lawsuit states.

Persons: Vince McMahon, Janel Grant, McMahon, Grant, John Laurinaitis, Ann Callis, ”, “ Mr, Laurinaitis, McMahon lavished, — Organizations: WWE, AP, “ WWE, World Wrestling Federation, Holdings Locations: U.S, Connecticut

☆ WWE boss Vince McMahon accused of sexual assault and trafficking in new lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Vince McMahon attends a press conference at MetLife Stadium on February 16, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. WWE boss Vince McMahon was accused Thursday of sexual assault, trafficking, and physical and emotional abuse in a lawsuit by a woman who previously worked for the pro wrestling giant. The suit says McMahon only paid her $1 million, "but failed to make any further payments." In addition to McMahon, the suit names WWE and John Laurinaitis, the former head of talent relations and general manager, as defendants. McMahon's lawyer, and spokespeople for the WWE and TKO did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Vince McMahon, Janel Grant, McMahon, Grant, John Laurinaitis Organizations: MetLife, WWE, Connecticut federal, UFC, TKO, Holdings Locations: East Rutherford , New Jersey, Connecticut

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