Recent allegations involving WWE CEO and Chairman have surfaced involving an alleged agreement for an employee to keep quiet following a sexual encounter with the boss.
On June 15th, 2022 Wall Street Journal reported that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon had allegedly paid 3 Million dollars in a Nondisclouse agreement to a former WWE paralegal with the intention of keeping her quiet involving a consensual sexual relationship with McMahon. The WWE board began investigating the matter as well as others involving similar payments and misconduct as well as John Laurentius who has since stepped down as Head of WWE Talent Relations. Laurentius was said to have also had sexual relations with the same paralegal as McMahon. The WWE Board was informed of these actions via an anonymous email from someone claiming to be a friend of the paralegal in question. She describes the woman was initially hired on a $100,000 salary which was increased later to $200,000 after beginning a sexual relationship with McMahon. A Settlement agreement including an NDA stated the paralegal would receive 1 Million dollars upfront upon her departure to keep quiet on the matter with an additional $2 Million to be paid out over the next 5 years. Upon the news of the investigation breaking McMahon stepped down as CEO of WWE, a role that was filled by his daughter Stephanie McMahon.
On July 8th WSJ once again reported on the ongoing Vince McMahon investigation claiming he had, “Agreed to Pay $12 Million in Hush Money to Four Women”. One of these reports involves a former, unnamed, female wrestler who was persuaded into giving the Chairman oral sex before being moved down the card and eventually released upon refusal of sexual activities in 2008, in 2018 she was paid $7.5 Million to remain quiet on the subject according to Jude Terror. Another report of unsolicited nude photos of McMahon alongside sexual harassment came from a contractor in 2008 who was allegedly paid 1 million dollars in response. In a third instance, McMahon paid another $1 Million to a long-time personal manager he had engaged in a sexual relationship with.
As the investigation of Vince McMahon continues, stories of Nondisclosure agreements and sexual assault allegations are still being reviewed by The WWE Board of Directors.
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Images, .css-1i2ud9c-CreditTag{font-weight:400;text-transform:uppercase;}Photo: Michael N. Todaro/Getty. “WWE’s Vince McMahon Steps Back from CEO Role amid Misconduct Probe.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 18 June 2022, https://www.wsj.com/articles/wwe-appoints-vince-mcmahons-daughter-as-interim-ceo-amid-probe-11655467082?mod=article_inline.
Murray, Andy H. “More to Come from Vince McMahon’s ‘Hush Money’ Allegations?” WhatCulture.com, WhatCulture.com, 18 July 2022, https://whatculture.com/wwe/more-to-come-from-vince-mcmahons-34-hush-money-34-allegations.
“PWInsider – WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE.” IS THERE MORE TO COME FROM THE VINCE MCMAHON SITUATION?, MY PICK FOR FLAIR’S LAST OPPONENT, SASHA OUTSIDE WWE AND MORE | PWInsider.com, https://pwinsider.com/article/161099/is-there-more-to-come-from-the-vince-mcmahon-situation-my-pick-for-flairs-last-opponent-sasha-outside-wwe-and-more.html?p=1.
Terror, Jude. “WSJ Reports 3 More Sexual Misconduct Ndas for WWE’s Vince McMahon.” Bleeding Cool News And Rumors, Bleeding Cool News And Rumors, 8 July 2022, https://bleedingcool.com/tv/wsj-reports-3-more-sexual-misconduct-ndas-for-wwes-vince-mcmahon/.