Vince McMahon Resigns After Ex-employee Files Sex Abuse Suit

Wrestling icon Vince McMahon resigned Friday from WWE’s parent company the day after a former employee filed a federal lawsuit accusing him and another former executive of serious sexual misconduct, including offering her to a star wrestler for sex.

McMahon stepped down from his position as executive chairman of the board of directors at WWE’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, according to a statement released late Friday. But he continued to deny wrongdoing following the lawsuit filed by Janel Grant, who worked in the company’s legal and talent departments.

The suit includes allegations that McMahon, now 78, forced Grant into a sexual relationship in order for her to get and keep a job and passed around pornographic pictures and videos of her to other men, including other WWE employees.

The AP typically does not name accusers in sexual assault cases, but Grant’s representatives said she wished to go public. Her lawyer declined to comment Friday. McMahon’s statement said that he was leaving the board “out of respect” for WWE and TKO Group.

He said in the statement, “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.” 

Earlier McMahon stepped down as WWE’s CEO in 2022 amid an investigation into allegations that match those in the lawsuit, which was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, where WWE is based.

McMahon was the leader and most recognizable face at WWE for decades. When he purchased what was then the World Wrestling Federation from his father in 1982, wrestling matches took place at small venues and appeared on local cable channels. WWE matches are now held in professional sports stadiums, and the organization has a sizable overseas following.

WWE merged last April with the company that runs Ultimate Fighting Championship to create the $21.4 billion sports entertainment company TKO Group Holdings, and McMahon served as that group’s executive chairman of the board until Friday.

TKO Group’s representative referred media inquiries about McMahon’s resignation to his statement. Deadline first reported that he was stepping down.

AP