Vince McMahon resigns from TKO & ‘will no longer have role with WWE’ after ex-staffer Janel Grant’s sex assault lawsuit
WWE executive Vince McMahon has resigned after he was hit with disturbing allegations of sexual assault and sex trafficking in a lawsuit this week.
The former WWE chairman denied the shocking claims by former WWE employee Janel Grant but decided to step down from his roles as he defends himself against the accusations.
Vince McMahon has officially resigned from the WWE and TKO Group HoldingsGetty Images
GettyMcMahon allegedly sexually harassed and trafficked former staffer Janel Grant[/caption]
“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,” said McMahon in a statement, reports Deadline.
“I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.”
He added: “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, effectively immediately.”
He has given his resignation to TKO Group Holdings.
McMahon will no longer have a role with WWE, according to WWE president Nick Khan.
Following allegations of battery and sex trafficking from a former employee, 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 Khan in an email to staff on Friday.
SHOCKING ALLEGATIONS
Some of the disturbing allegations against McMahon include that he defecated on the victim during a threesome and that he trafficked her to other WWE executives.
Grant first met the 78-year-old executive through a manager in her building, of which McMahon had a penthouse.
She began working at WWE’s Connecticut headquarters in June 2019.
She alleges that during a meeting, McMahon greeted her in his underwear.
He then allegedly pressured her into sexual activities in return for a job and warned her to stay quiet, according to the suit.
The suit also claims McMahon began sending Grant sexually explicit messages and making sexual demands after creating a position for her in the company’s legal department.
In March 2020, Grant accused McMahon of sharing explicit photographs and videos of her without her consent.
McMahon allegedly locked Grant inside his private locker room and forced himself on her over a massage table, she claims in the lawsuit.
Other allegations include that he sexually abused her with sex toys he named after WWE wrestlers.
Grant also alleged that in March 2022, McMahon tried to traffic her to a top WWE superstar.
He texted her, “Part of the deal was f**king U,” the suit claims.
The WWE superstar in question was not named in the lawsuit.
McMahon stepped down as CEO and chairman of the WWE in June 2022.
It followed a bombshell report by the Wall Street Journal accusing him of paying $12 million in hush payments to four women.
The WWE’s internal investigation found McMahon made $14.6 million in payments to women who had accused him of sexual misconduct.
McMahon has since repaid the company for the cost of the investigation.
The U.S. Sun contacted the WWE and McMahon’s attorney for comments on the allegations.
McMahon and his accuser both lived at a building managed by Donald Trump’s Trump Organization.
Formerly known as Trump Parc Stamford, residents who live there voted to nix his name from the building in 2021.
McMahon resigned just hours after close pal Trump was forced to pay $83.3 million in his own legal battle which involved allegations of sexual assault.
News of McMahon’s exit broke as the WWE was airing SmackDown live from the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
GRANT SPEAKS OUT
Right before news of his resignation broke, attorney of the accuser Ann Callis, released a statement.
Callis read the statement during an interview on the Law&Crime podcast, Crime Fix with Angenette Levy.
“She hopes those at the company past and present who fear speaking out about harm is a thing of the past,” said Callis.
“She wishes them all peace.”
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