Vince McMahon sex trafficking and abuse lawsuit halted for DOJ investigation

Former World Wrestling Entertainment employee Janel Grant has agreed to stay her sex trafficking and abuse trial against former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, former WWE executive John Laurinaitis and WWE itself in the pending an ongoing federal investigation.

Grant's attorney, Ann Callis, told TheWrap in a statement Thursday that the case was put on hold due to a request from the Justice Department. A series of sealed documents were submitted Thursday by the Justice Department in the case.

“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,” Callis said in his statement “We will cooperate with all appropriate next steps.”

Citing a source familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported that the stay in the case is expected to last six months.

McMahon's attorney, Jessica Rosenberg, said in a statement sent to TheWrap: “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 narrative and vindictiveness of a disgruntled ex-girlfriend.”

Graint's lawsuit against McMahon, Laurinaitis and WWE accused McMahon of sexually exploiting her, including in situations involving other WWE employees. The detailed lawsuit includes graphic descriptions of what McMahon and others allegedly did, including that McMahon and former executive John Laurinaitis sexually assaulted Grant at WWE headquarters. Following the filing of the suit, McMahon resigned from his role as chairman of the board of WWE's parent company, TKO Group Holdings, which also controls the mixed martial arts sports league UFC.

The Justice Department's investigation into Vince McMahon for sexual misconduct and sex trafficking has already been reported by media outlets including the Wall Street Journal and ABC News.

McMahon, Laurinaitis and WWE had previously sought to move the Grant lawsuit to arbitration, citing a prior nondisclosure agreement between Grant and McMahon. McMahon had stopped making payments under the NDA following the initial breakdown of the relationship between Grant and McMahon, with Grant subsequently taking legal action and arguing that McMahon's non-payment meant the NDA was no longer in force.