Former WWE employee suing Vince McMahon for sex trafficking pauses case for federal probe
Note: This story contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse that may be offensive to some readers or painful to survivors of sexual assault.
A sex trafficking and sexual misconduct lawsuit filed against former WWE boss Vince McMahon by an employee has been put on hold while the U.S. Department of Justice conducts their own investigation.
Janel Grant, a former employee at WWE headquarters, agreed to temporarily pause her lawsuit against McMahon, WWE and John Laurinaitis, the company’s former head of talent relations, at the request of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York to allow for a federal probe.
“Ms. Grant has consented to a request by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York to stay her case against Mr. McMahon, WWE and Mr. Laurinaitis, pursuant to a pending non-public investigation," Grant's attorney Ann Callis said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. "We will cooperate with all appropriate next steps.”
VINCE MCMAHON: Accused of sex trafficking, assault of former WWE employee he paid for NDA
According to court documents filed in Connecticut in January, Grant alleges that McMahon pushed her into "a physical relationship in return for long-promised employment at WWE," which involved a forced sexual relationship, sharing of private photos and videos, as well as coercing Grant into having sexual relations with other WWE staffers, including Laurinaitis.
"McMahon also subjected Grant to acts of extreme cruelty and degradation that caused Grant to disassociate and/or become numb to reality in order to survive the horrific encounters," the lawsuit states.
McMahon resigned as executive chairman and board member of TKO Group Holdings, parent company of WWE, the day after the lawsuit was filed, but the wrestling company's founder maintains his innocence.
Contributing: Jordan Mendoza