Just weeks after the news of a lawsuit filed against former WWE CEO and board chairman Vince McMahon alleging sexual abuse and trafficking, details have emerged that federal prosecutors are investigating McMahon, according to The Wall Street Journal. The federal investigation, the report states, also involves allegations of sexual abuse and trafficking.
McMahon was served with a federal search warrant and subpoena this past July. According to the report, federal agents were searching for "documents related to any allegation of 'rape, sex trafficking, sexual assault, commercial sex transaction, harassment or discrimination' against current or former WWE employees."
Prosecutors have reportedly spoken to several women named in the grand jury subpoena who were alleged to have received settlement agreements and signed non-disclosure agreements over sexual misconduct by McMahon.
One of the alleged victims, Janel Grant, filed a lawsuit against McMahon, WWE, and former head of talent relations John Laurinaitis in January, claiming she was abused by McMahon, raped at multiple times and trafficked to other men, including talent WWE was attempting to re-sign.
Shortly after the lawsuit became public, McMahon resigned from his positions as TKO executive chairman and on the TKO board of directors.
McMahon had previously resigned as WWE CEO after an initial round of allegations in July 2022, which led to the aforementioned federal search warrant and subpoena. He was also unanimously voted off the board of directors.
McMahon returned as executive chairman of WWE's board in early 2023 and immediately began the process of looking to sell the company. Ultimately, the promotion was sold to entertainment giant Endeavor, who created TKO Group, which merged Endeavor holdings WWE and UFC under one umbrella.
McMahon was placed into the role of TKO executive chairman after the sale, one step below Endeavor and TKO CEO Ari Emanuel.
