Vince McMahon, the co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), resigned from his positions at the parent company of the WWE and UFC, TKO Group Holdings, on Friday after a bombshell lawsuit was filed in federal court this week that accused him of sex trafficking a former employee.
Attorneys for Janel Grant filed the lawsuit on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Connecticut. Details contained in the lawsuit appear to match allegations that surfaced in 2022 that led to McMahon stepping down from WWE. The lawsuit seeks to void a non-disclosure agreement and seeks an unspecified amount for punitive damages and Grant’s legal fees.
McMahon resigned from his position as TKO Executive Chairman and from his position on the TKO Board of Directors, according to a statement he released.
“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,” McMahon said in the statement. “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.”
“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, effective immediately,” he added.
WWE president Nick Khan confirmed McMahon’s departure in a memo that was obtained by ESPN.
“I wanted to inform you that Vince McMahon has tendered his resignation from his positions as TKO Executive Chairman and on the TKO Board of Directors,” he said. “He will no longer have a role with TKO Group holdings or WWE.”
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Grant, who worked for the company from 2019 to 2022, alleges that she was in a vulnerable state when she met McMahon because her parents had just died and she had effectively devoted her life to “around-the-clock caregiving.”
The lawsuit says that her time at WWE centered around gratifying McMahon’s sexual desires, which allegedly became more extreme and violent over time, and led to her suffering serious physical and mental health issues — including “debilitating” PTSD and serious thoughts of suicide.
McMahon allegedly pressured her to sign a non-disclosure agreement in exchange for a $3 million payout in an effort to conceal the events that happened. He allegedly only paid $1 million and did not make further payments.
The lawsuit alleges that McMahon gained complete control over Grant’s life and used his power to abuse her repeatedly and subject her to humiliating acts and embarrassment.
McMahon is accused of grooming Grant for his sexual desires over a period of several weeks where he dangled employment opportunities in front of her as he slowly broke down boundaries and made veiled threats that she could not tell anyone or else she might face lawyers backed by McMahon’s massive fortune.
Related: 13 Of The Most Explosive Allegations From The Lawsuit Against Wrestling Kingpin Vince McMahon