HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - World Wrestling Entertainment founder Vince McMahon faces graphic accusations he sexually abused an employee.
WWE, McMahon and John Laurinaitis are facing a lawsuit filed by former employee Janel Grant. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut on Jan. 25.
Grant alleges that she was a victim of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking during her employment at WWE. She claims to have met McMahon in March 2019 when she was dealing with personal grief and financial struggles. According to Grant, McMahon promised her a role at WWE which led to an abusive relationship.
The complaint states that McMahon befriended Grant and made promises of employment at WWE while crossing boundaries. It is alleged that he would greet her in his underwear during meetings about potential jobs at WWE, touch her inappropriately, ask for hugs repeatedly, and share intimate details about his personal life.
Grant claims that after succumbing to pressure for a physical relationship with McMahon, she was given an entry-level position as an "administrator-coordinator" in WWE's legal department on June 17, 2019. Later on March 9, 2021, she was verbally directed by McMahon to transfer to the Talent Relations department under John Laurinaitis.
Despite attempts to end the sexual relationship with McMahon and expressing unhappiness about it, Grant alleges that she felt trapped due to fear of losing her job or facing negative consequences. The complaint further states that from March 2020 onwards, explicit photographs and videos of Ms. Grant were shared by McMahon with other men both inside and outside the company.
"McMahon also subjected Ms. Grant to acts of extreme cruelty and degradation that caused Ms. Grant to disassociate and/or become numb to reality in order to survive the horrific encounters," the suit says.
"As one example of McMahon’s extreme depravity, on May 9, 2020, he defecated on Ms. Grant during a threesome, and then commanded her to continue pleasuring his 'friend'— with feces in her hair and running down her back—while McMahon went to the bathroom to shower off.
"Upon his return from the bathroom, McMahon and his 'friend' actively resumed the threesome, which lasted over an hour and a half, while Ms. Grant remained covered in McMahon’s filth. When McMahon’s 'friend' left, McMahon ordered her to stay and to continue to sexually gratify him."
Laurinaitis is also alleged to have committed sexual abuse, like taking turns restraining her during a threesome with McMahon.
Benjamin Daniels of Robinson & Cole is representing Grant, as are lawyers from Holland & Knight.