Update On Vince McMahon & John Laurinaitis Misconduct Allegations

Further details have emerged on WWE’s investigation into Vince McMahon’s alleged affair and subsequent payment to a former employee.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that Vince McMahon’s own company board is investigating a $3 million payment said to have been made by him to a former employee of the company in return for them signing a non-disclosure agreement. WWE has stressed that the alleged relationship between McMahon and the unnamed employee was consensual and that the Chairman is co-operating with the investigation.

The Journal’s report also revealed that the board’s investigation has unearthed older non-disclosure agreements around claims of misconduct made by other former female WWE employees that involve both Vince McMahon and the company’s Head of Talent Relations, John Laurinaitis. It is currently unknown how many of these claims are being looked into, but payments made in relation to them are said to run into the millions of dollars.

Now, Fightful Select has reported that McMahon’s alleged relationship with the employee had been “suspected” within WWE. She had been given a major promotion in April 2021 from John Laurinaitis’ assistant to a role as a “director.” The promotion happened during a time when the company was making major cuts to its roster for budgetary reasons.

The report also shares information regarding the opinion of female roster members on the return of John Laurinaitis to the role of Head of Talent Relations in 2021. One anonymous talent is quoted as saying:

“I’d rather get all my sh*t sent to me in a trash bag when I get fired than have to deal with him, and neither are good options.”

WWE sources believe the situation will ultimately lead to Laurinaitis losing his position. They also believe it is the biggest threat to Vince McMahon’s control of the company since the steroid trial of the early nineties.

One of the sources is quoted as saying that John Laurinaitis has been set up as the “latest fall guy for Vince, his turn in line was coming.”

Another male star who worked for the company throughout the 2000s and beyond said there had long been suspicion in regards to John Laurinaitis’ conduct. A former WWE writer is alleged to have said there was open suspicion of such as early as the 2000s in regards to that.