Vince McMahon and WWE Officially Under DOJ Investigation; Rape and sex trafficking case suspended, for now

UPDATED with statement from McMahon's attorney: The horrific rape and sex trafficking allegations against former WWE boss Vince McMahon won't get their chance in court just yet, thanks to the Department of Justice.

In a filing sealed today, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York submitted documents to federal court relating to an investigation into McMahon, World Wrestling Entertainment and the company's former head of talent relations. WWE, John Laurinaitis.

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This has now put to rest former WWE staffer Janel Grant's explosive case over the years of assault and abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of McMahon and others in the organization. This break could last several months, I hear. A separate filing released Thursday by U.S. Attorney Damien Williams' office made clear that the government is not just dipping its toe into these potentially toxic waters.

“In addition to the attorneys already listed, please list my appearance as Attorney for the United States of America, Sarah Mortazavi, Assistant United States Attorney,” Williams wrote to Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer today in a document also placed on the roll.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of the Empire State declined to comment or offer advice when contacted by Deadline today. If and when this changes, this article will be updated.

However, five months after Jamel Grant filed his chilling allegations against McMahon, WWE and others, his lawyer confirms that the DOJ's long-awaited ruling is a big one – big enough to stop the original case in its tracks for now .

“MS. Grant has consented to a request from the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York to stay his case against Mr. McMahon, WWE and Mr. Laurinaitis, pursuant to an ongoing non-public investigation,” the lawyer said. Grant, Ann Callis, in a statement. on the deadline. “ We will cooperate with any appropriate next steps.

McMahon's lawyer avoided the DOJ's footprint in this case.

“We remain confident that the evidence will prove that Ms. Grant's allegations are false and that her complaint is nothing more than a fabricated and vindictive account from a disgruntled former girlfriend,” Kasowitz associate Jessica Rosenberg said. , Benson Torres.

Filed on January 25 and almost immediately attacked by McMahon's team, Grant's graphic lawsuit says she was repeatedly violently raped and otherwise abused by McMahon from 2019 to 2022. Additionally, Grant claims that She was trafficked across state lines to other WWE executives and even an unnamed “WWE Superstar” for sexual purposes.

Grant and McMahon agreed to a $3 million payment in 2022 to prevent his allegations regarding McMahon from becoming public. This included an NDA. The plaintiff has delayed her end of the deal, according to Grant's lawsuit, but McMahon has only paid her $1 million so far. For this, and following its publication, Grant seeks, among other measures, to invalidate the NDA.

Just days after vehemently denying Grant's accusations, McMahon severed his remaining management ties with WWE parent company TKO Group on January 27. A sharp fall from McMahon's central role in overseeing the wrestling organization's September 2023 merger with the UFC. a $21.4 billion combination that created TKO – of which McMahon became executive chairman.

After some preliminary selling by McMahon, Endeavor and TKO agreed in April to purchase a total of $311.2 million worth of stock from the cacophonous executive. Even with these sales, McMahon would still have a significant stake in TKO – at least for now.

Even before Grant's trial, McMahon was already under the microscope in an internal investigation settled two years ago by WWE, then owned by Endeavor, over millions in secret payments to various women, now including Grant. That investigation was closed, but in the summer of 2023, WWE admitted that things weren't over. Noting that “related government investigations remain ongoing,” the company disclosed in an SEC filing last year that a search warrant had been executed against McMahon and the company, and that a subpoena before a federal grand jury had been served on McMahon.

We now have a little clearer idea of ​​how McMahon is thrust into the spotlight – despite his denials of any wrongdoing.

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