WWE Board Investigating Vince McMahon For 3 Million Dollar Hush Pact Over Affair
It does not look good right now for the WWE chairman.
News was broken earlier today by the Wall Street Journal that the WWE Board were investigating Vince McMahon. The report stated that the board had found out about a 3 million dollar settlement that Vince had with a woman he had slept with according to documents and people familiar with the board inquiry. John Lauranitius is also being accused of being involved with this woman.
A barring order from January of this year preventing the woman involved from speaking about her relationship with the WWE Chairman. The woman joined the WWE in 2019 as a paralegal. Board members reportedly learned of the $3 million agreement in a series of anonymous emails they received from someone who said the former WWE paralegal was a friend.
The first email, sent to board members on March 30, alleged that Mr. McMahon initially hired the woman at a salary of $100,000 but increased it to $200,000 after beginning a sexual relationship with her. The email to the board also alleged that Mr. McMahon “gave her like a toy” to Mr. Laurinaitis. The board is investigating the allegations in the email, the people familiar with the inquiry said. The former employee reportedly moved from the legal department in 2021 to become an assistant to Mr. Laurinaitis.
“My friend was so scared so she quit after Vince McMahon and lawyer Jerry paid her millions of dollars to shut up,” the initial email to the board said, referring to Mr. McMahon’s longtime lawyer, Mr. McDevitt, who negotiated the deal, according to people familiar with the board inquiry.”
The Wall Street Journal
The directors reportedly received a copy of the $3 million agreement from one of Mr. McMahon’s lawyers on June 12, one person familiar with the inquiry said. The nondisclosure agreement provided an upfront payment of $1 million to the former employee, with the remaining $2 million to be doled out over a period of five years, people familiar with the deal said.
A WWE spokesperson said the company is cooperating fully with the board inquiry and that the relationship with the ex-paralegal was consensual. He added that the company takes the allegations seriously and is dealing with them appropriately.
Near the outset of the inquiry, lawyers for the independent directors asked WWE, Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis to turn over complaints or allegations about any relationships the executives may have had with company employees, one of the people said.
The Wall Street Journal
Vince McMahon’s attorney flat out denied the report by The Wall Street Journal when asked for comment on the matter. Jerry McDevitt, said that the former paralegal hadn’t made any claims of harassment against Mr. McMahon and that “WWE did not pay any monies” to the ex-employee “on her departure.”
Fightful Select have added to the reports that have came out with their inquiries regarding the story. According to Fightful, it doesn’t look like Johnny Ace will be around much longer:
The same sources we spoke with expected John Laurinaitis to be replaced before all is said and done, and one speculated that he’s being set up as the “latest fall guy for Vince, his turn in line was coming.” Another male wrestler who was active in the 2000s and 2010s said that there had long been rumors of John Laurinatis’ misconduct. A former writer said it was an open suspicion in the mid 2000s One former office employee said they believe this will be a “domino effect” and believes Vince McMahon will fight hard to stay, but doesn’t see a situation in which Laurinaitis doesn’t resign.
Fightful Select
Time will tell how this will turn out for the WWE Chairman and Johnny Ace, but with both men being married at this time, it’s not just going to effect their professional lives.
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