Vince McMahon is seen in a photo from 2009. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(NewsNation) — World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and former chief executive Vince McMahon faces a sexual assault and sex trafficking lawsuit filed last week in Connecticut.
According to the federal lawsuit, Janel Grant, who worked at the company’s headquarters, alleged that McMahon sexually exploited her and attempted to traffic her to other WWE employees.
Grant claims she was abused by McMahon and was allegedly forced to have sex with WWE’s former head of talent relations John Laurinaitis — all while working for the company.
McMahon has since stepped down from his position as executive chairman, but Grant’s attorney says that’s not enough.
“It’s been a long process and she (Grant) wants to speak out for any other victims and eradicate this culture of corruption that has permeated every cell of the WWE,” Grant’s attorney Ann Callis told NewsNation’s Markie Martin on “Morning in America.”
Callis said that since Grant is going up against a multi-billion dollar company and very powerful men, they wanted to lay out all the “facts” to even the playing field. In the filing, Grant provided over 300 allegations of sexual abuse.
“We had the truth and we had the facts,” Callis said.
The part of the complaint includes the negligence of WWE knowingly letting the sexual abuse and coercive control exist. Nobody within the company extended Grant any help or tried to intervene.
“She was an island unto herself,” Callis said. “She felt extremely isolated. She felt victimized. She felt that she was a prisoner.”
But Callis insinuated Grant wasn’t alone; other possible victims were starting to come forward.
She continued, “My office and my inbox have had a barrage of people wanting to come forward to attest about this culture of corruption and also possible victims. We are just beginning now to wade through all this, but we’re frankly overwhelmed.”
Grant’s attorney said her law firm has begun investigating other possible cases against the WWE and McMahon.
“(Grant) wants justice because she wants to change the culture that is going on in the WWE. She wants to help other victims. She thinks by speaking out and coming forward first, that others will feel emboldened and encouraged to come forth,” Callis said.
According to the lawsuit, Grant was introduced to McMahon in 2019 by the manager of her apartment building, hoping to get her a job because she was “dealing with profound grief and struggling financially” after she lost her parents. McMahon was accused of showering Grant with praise and gifts as he “dangled career-making and life-changing promises” in front of her.
McMahon was accused of sharing explicit photos and videos of Grant with men “both inside and outside of the company,” including “a world-famous athlete and former UFC Heavyweight Champion with whom WWE was actively trying to sign a new contract (and ultimately did sign that contract),” beginning in March 2020. Sources “familiar with the matter” told the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the lawsuit, that the company was courting Brock Lesnar for an in-ring return at the time.
As an entry-level employee, Grant alleged in the lawsuit she was coerced into performing sexual acts with multiple people at WWE headquarters during work hours, including being made to report to Laurinaitis “before the start of workdays for sexual encounters.”
The lawsuit alleged McMahon subjected her to “extreme depravity” in their encounters. In 2021, Grant claimed McMahon and Laurinaitis forced themselves on her and sexually assaulted her in a WWE office.
The suit claims Grant was pressured by McMahon to sign a non-disclosure agreement in 2022 after she was let go from the company. He claimed his wife, Linda McMahon, a member of former President Donald Trump’s cabinet, found out about his relationship with Grant.
NewsNation affiliate WFLA contributed to this report.