Vince McMahon
Jackie Brown/Splash NewsVince McMahon He was the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) For decades before he stepped down “voluntarily.”
McMahon confirmed this in June 2022 He was resigning from his position While the company was investigating allegations of misconduct against him.
He said in a statement at the time: “I have pledged to cooperate fully with the investigation conducted by the Special Committee, and I will do everything in my power to support the investigation.” I also pledged to accept the results and results of the investigation, whatever they may be.”
Several hours later, McMahon open SmackDown Live With great fanfare. “It is an honor as always to stand before you here tonight, in front of the WWE Universe,” he said during a broadcast on June 17, 2022. “I'm simply here to remind you of the four words we just saw in what we call our signature in WWE. Those four words are: then, now, and forever, and the most important word is together. Welcome to smack down!
While Hollywood may seem glitzy and glamorous on the surface, the industry has seen its fair share of scandals over the years. The New York Times and The New Yorker first published investigative articles in 2017 that accused disgruntled film producer Harvey Weinstein of decades of sexual assault and harassment. Shortly after, Weinstein appeared in court and was[…]
Amid McMahon's exit from the WWE executive suite, federal law enforcement officials continued to do so Investigate allegations. The former professional athlete has not yet been charged with a crime.
Nearly two years later, McMahon faced a second misconduct scandal as a former WWE employee He accused him sexual assault, trafficking and abuse in a lawsuit in January 2024. He denied all allegations before resigning from WWE's parent company, TKO Group.
Keep reading for details of the McMahon misconduct scandal:
What is Vince McMahon accused of?
Days before McMahon stepped down from his position in WWE, he… Wall Street Journal He reported that he paid a $3 million settlement to a former employee after an alleged affair. He did not address these accusations publicly.
In January 2024, a former WWE employee Janelle Grant McMahon was accused of sexual assault, trafficking and abuse in a lawsuit.
How did Vince McMahon react to the scandal?
Vince McMahon
Dave Allocca/Starbucks/ShutterstockMcMahon left his position as CEO and chairman in June 2022, pledging in a statement to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and “accept the findings and findings.” He eventually returned as a board member six months later in January 2023, and agreed to reimburse WWE for any expenses related to the investigation. According to second In a statement the following August, McMahon has since paid approximately $17.4 million to cover costs.
Regarding the 2024 lawsuit, McMahon has vehemently denied all allegations.
“This lawsuit is full of lies, made-up outrageous facts that never happened, and vindictive distortions of the truth. He will defend himself vigorously,” a McMahon spokesperson said. Us Weekly In a statement.
Who replaced Vince McMahon as WWE CEO?
McMahon's daughter, Stephanie McMahonShe was appointed interim CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors in her father's absence.
“I love this company and I am committed to working with the independent directors to strengthen our culture and our company; it is extremely important to me that we have them A safe and collaborative workplaceStephanie said in a statement at the time. “I have committed to doing everything in my power to help the Special Committee complete its work, including enlisting the cooperation of the entire company to help complete the investigation and implement its findings.”
Family affair. For the legendary McMahons of WWE, pro wrestling is in their blood. The history of World Wrestling Entertainment is so vast that the company itself divides it into six different eras. Ultimately, the scene began when wrestling and boxing promoter Jess McMahon (b. 1882-1954) and (…)
Is Vince McMahon still involved in WWE operations?
Chief Creative Officer Triple H (real name Paul Levesque) Who is married to Stephanieto be unveiled during August 2023 press conference For WWE Summer hello Vince is not currently working with the WWE creative team.
“In terms of contributions, I would just say this,” Triple H said at the time: “The reason WWE is the way it is now is because you can make an argument — and it's a very valid argument — that without Vince and his vision for this business, it might not have been the case.” “There were some things back then, back in the day, that were so popular…that just disappeared off the face of the planet. Seeing what he did changed the business, changed everything for 50 years. An unbelievable run of success.” There is no greater mind in the job.”
“At this time, if we didn't all look at moments in time to get advice from him on thoughts or ideas or if we had a question to go and ask, it would be silly not to do that,” he continued. . It's sitting next to someone who knows more about this, or has forgotten more about it than you'll ever know, and not taking advantage of that in some aspect. But is it daily? No. Is he in it all the time? no. If anyone did that, they've earned that right to be able to do that.
Vince He officially resigned From his position as CEO of TKO Group, the parent company of WWE, in January 2024.
“Out of respect for the WWE Universe, TKO’s exceptional work, its Board of Directors, shareholders, partners, constituents, and all the employees and Superstars who have helped make WWE the global leader it is today, I have decided to step down from my position.” “The Executive Chairmanship and Board of Directors of TKO are effective immediately,” he said in a joint statement with TKO. we. “I stand by my previous statement that Ms. Grant's lawsuit is full of lies, outrageous fabrications that never happened, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and I look forward to clearing my name.”
Did Vince McMahon cooperate with the FBI?
Several days before Triple H made statements about Vince not being involved day-to-day with the media brand, the SEC Execute a search warrant and issue a subpoena For both Vince and WWE. according to CNNUS federal agents requested copies of certain documents. Vince did not address the arrest warrant or subpoena.
How were the silent money payments settled?
In January 2024, McMahon She agreed to pay a civil penalty of $400,000 and compensate WWE in the amount of $1.3 million. McMahon was not forced to admit or deny the SEC's findings.
McMahon issued a statement via X Shortly after the settlement was announced.
“Case closed,” McMahon wrote. “Today concludes nearly three years of investigation by various government agencies. There has been a great deal of speculation about exactly what the government was investigating and what the outcome was. As today's decision shows, much of that speculation was misleading and misguided.
He continued: “In the end, there were nothing more than simple accounting errors regarding some personal payments I made several years ago while I was CEO of WWE. “I feel very happy that I can now put all of this behind me.”
McMahon's statement is a bit of a misnomer, as Grant's civil lawsuit will continue to move forward in the wake of the settlement.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call National Sexual Assault Hotline At 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
