WWE co-founder Vince McMahon has been hit with a sexual abuse and trafficking lawsuit.

Another controversy

Vince McMahon in front of a courthouse with the WWE logo on it.

A new lawsuit (per Variety) from Janet Grant alleges that McMahon abused and sexually exploited a former employee when he was CEO of the wrestling company. Additionally, the lawsuit claims he used the employee “as a pawn to secure talent deals” when recruiting new wrestlers.

The lawsuit was filed on January 25 in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Grant also named the WWE and former head of talent relations, John Laurinaitis, as defendants. Grant's lawsuit alleges that the defendants violated the Trafficking Victims Prevention Act. The lawsuit also has claims of civil battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress for Grant's time with the company.

Per the lawsuit, McMahon “repeatedly used sex toys named after other WWE employees, wrestlers and performers to sexually groom Ms. Grant for trafficking to those same people.” He also allegedly “showered” Grant in gifts and “empty” promotions while simultaneously “threatening her livelihood and her reputation if she wouldn’t succumb to his increasingly depraved sexual demands, including disseminating pornography of Ms. Grant to ‘thousands’ of individuals and engaging in sex acts with other WWE employees — some of whom were complete strangers.”

Once McMahon's wife learned about Grant's relationship with him, she was “abruptly pressured to resign from the WWE and forced to sign an NDA days before a major financial deadline for the organization under the guise that Mr. McMahon would ‘protect her’ financially and reputationally, and pay her $3 million.” However, McMahon didn't make those payments payments, falsely claiming that she leaked information to the press.

“Today’s complaint seeks to hold accountable two WWE executives who sexually assaulted and trafficked Plaintiff Janel Grant, as well as the organization that facilitated or turned a blind eye to the abuse and then swept it under the rug,” Ann Callis, Grant's attorney, said in a statement. “She is an incredibly private and courageous person who has suffered deeply at the hands of Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis. Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized.

“The organization is well aware of Mr. McMahon’s history of depraved behavior, and it’s time that they take responsibility for the misconduct of its leadership,” the statement continued.

Later Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for McMahon commented on the suit: “This lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the truth. [McMahon] will vigorously defend himself,” the spokesperson said.

Vince McMahon's rocky history

In 2022, McMahon had stepped down from his position of chief executive of the WWE. This came amid an investigation of McMahon giving hush money to women who accused him of sexual misconduct. He'd subsequently return to the company in 2023 to help oversee their deal that saw his company merge with the UFC.

Vince McMahon co-founded the WWE. He also oversaw the creative direction of the company for years. The WWE recently made a blockbuster deal with Netflix, finding a new home for its flagship show, Monday Night Raw.