More Survivors Come Forward In WWE Ring Boys Lawsuit
The Ring Boy lawsuit against Vince McMahon, Linda McMahon, and WWE is moving forward.
TRIGGER WARNING: The article discusses sex crimes against children.
In October 2024, a lawsuit was filed relating to the WWE ‘ring boys’ scandal of the 1990s.
The DiCello Levitt law firm filed the suit on behalf of a group of former “ring boys” hired by then-ringside announcer and ring crew chief Melvin Phillips Jr. to run errands and complete other tasks in preparation for WWE events.
The suit claimed that the boys were then “groomed, exploited, and sexually abused” by Phillips and alleged that McMahon and others were “fully aware” of the abuses.
In December, WWE filed a motion to pause the ring boys lawsuit until the Maryland Supreme Court made a judgement on the Child Victims Act. The motion was granted by Judge James K. Bredar.
WWE Ring Boy Lawsuit Resumes
In February, the Maryland Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of the Child Victims Act, allowing the lawsuit to continue. Following the ruling, DiCello Levitt issued a press release stating that more survivors had come forward since the initial filing in October.
“Maryland Supreme Court Decision Allows WWE ‘Ring Boys’ Sexual Abuse Case to Move Forward
DiCello Levitt Continues To Seek Justice for Child Sex Abuse Survivors Who Allege the WWE and Vince and Linda McMahon Allowed and Enabled Abuse To Occur
NEW YORK – February 4, 2025 – A decision Monday by the Supreme Court of Maryland that upholds ending the statute of limitations on child sex abuse lawsuits will allow the child sex abuse case against World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC (WWE), Vincent K. McMahon and Linda McMahon (the McMahons), and TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (TKO) to move forward.
“The Maryland Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Maryland Child Victims Act, effectively eliminating any statute of limitations on child sex abuse lawsuits, is the right one, and we hope other states will follow Maryland’s lead,” said DiCello Levitt Partner Greg Gutzler who is leading the lawsuit against the WWE, McMahons, and TKO. “Survivors of sexual assault, especially children, often do not come forward for years or even decades after the abuse occurred. This delayed disclosure happens for numerous reasons—shame, fear, or manipulation—and it has too often prevented survivors from ever seeking justice and getting accountability. It also has allowed perpetrators to continue hurting countless innocent people.”
“My clients’ lives were destroyed by the defendants who allowed and enabled the open, rampant sexual abuse to occur for years. The abuse inflicted on my clients was inexcusable; they were mere children and had the right to expect that WWE executives would take action to protect them from the predators working within the WWE. We will bring light to their truth and fight for accountability and justice,” Gutzler added.
On October 23, 2024, DiCello Levitt and Murphy, Falcon & Murphy filed a lawsuit against the defendants on behalf of five survivors of sexual abuse. The survivors (John Does 1-5) were known within WWE as “Ring Boys,” underaged boys hired by the organization’s ringside announcer and ring crew chief Melvin Phillips Jr. to assist with errands and other tasks for WWE’s wrestling shows.
The underaged Ring Boys were groomed, exploited, and sexually abused by Phillips, who targeted children from broken homes. His sexual assaults occurred not only at the wrestling venues, but also in hotel rooms and other locations where Phillips would shuttle the boys in plain sight. Defendants were aware of the systemic and pervasive abuse but did not prevent or stop it. The FBI previously identified at least 10 Ring Boys abused by Phillips, but there are likely countless others who have suffered in silence for decades.
Since the lawsuit was filed in October, additional survivors have come forward to seek justice and accountability for what happened to them. Monday’s decision allows the case to proceed.”