Former WWE boss Vince McMahon has vehemently denied allegations of sexual abuse and sex trafficking in a court filing in response to a lawsuit filed by Janel Grant. McMahon called the claims “pure fiction” and stated that they were intended to garner publicity. He asserted that the relationship between him and Grant was consensual and that she had praised him in a love letter shortly before the end of their relationship. McMahon also disputed Grant’s claims regarding the circumstances of her parents’ deaths and living arrangements.
Grant filed a lawsuit against McMahon and former WWE executive John Laurinaitis in January, alleging that McMahon had promised her a successful career only to sexually exploit her between 2019 and 2022. McMahon has since stepped down as executive chairman of TKO Group Holdings. Grant’s lawyer, Ann Callis, responded to McMahon’s filing by stating that he had twisted the narrative to fit his own agenda and that the claims of care for her parents were true. She also stated that Grant had no financial support and was supported by her ex-boyfriend at the time.
In McMahon’s court filing, he claimed that Grant visited his Connecticut condo at all hours of the night and that she lived with her long-time fiancé, Brian Goncalves. He further disputed Grant’s claims of caregiving for her parents and her vulnerable state when she began a relationship with him. Callis countered McMahon’s claims, stating that Grant’s father was in in-home hospice during his final days and she had been caring for her blind, wheelchair-bound mother. She also emphasized that Grant had no financial support at the time and was dating her ex-boyfriend.
The lawsuit also named former WWE executive John Laurinaitis, who was accused of asking male wrestlers to participate in “sexual things.” Laurinaitis denied these allegations, and McMahon’s lawyer also questioned the credibility of Grant’s claims. McMahon’s filing highlighted the inconsistencies in Grant’s allegations and her praise for him in a love letter. The legal battle between McMahon, Grant, and Laurinaitis continues to unfold in US District Court in Connecticut.
Despite McMahon’s denial of the allegations, the lawsuit is ongoing, with both parties presenting their arguments in court. The truth behind the claims of sexual abuse and sex trafficking against McMahon and Laurinaitis remains to be determined through the legal process. Grant’s lawyer, Ann Callis, has continued to advocate for her client and stand by the validity of her claims. As the case progresses, more details may come to light regarding the nature of McMahon’s relationship with Grant and the events that transpired during her time with WWE.
