WWE Issues Statement To Staff On New Vince McMahon Allegations
WWE has issued a statement to their employees following the release of a new report claiming that Vince McMahon paid over $12 million dollars in hush money to four separate women.
On July 8th, the Wall Street Journal published a new report with further allegations of misconduct against Vince McMahon. The report claimed that $12 million was paid to employees of WWE who were with the company over the course of 16 years, and that non-disclosure agreements were made as part of the deal.
Now, PWInsider has reported that WWE issued a statement to staff reiterating that they are taking the claims seriously and will continue to cooperate with the investigation by the Board of Directors.
“The Wall Street Journal has published a second story with expanded details on its initial WWE report last month. We want to reiterate that we and our Board of Directors take these allegations seriously.
We’ve been cooperating fully with the investigation led by our Board of Directors and will continue to do so until its conclusion. Please note that upon its conclusion, WWE leadership will make itself available to answer any questions you may have.”
The new WSJ report claims that one wrestler was coerced by Vince McMahon into performing oral sex, with a payment eventually being made of $7.5 million.
“The previously unreported settlements include a $7.5 million pact with a former wrestler who alleged that Mr. McMahon coerced her into giving him oral sex and then demoted her and, ultimately, declined to renew her contract in 2005 after she resisted further sexual encounters, according to people familiar with the matter. The wrestler and her attorney approached Mr. McMahon in 2018 and negotiated the payment in return for her silence, the people said.”
A further allegation was made that a settlement took place after WWE was presented with unsolicited nudes the employee had received from Vince McMahon.
“In another previously unreported deal, a WWE contractor presented the company with unsolicited nude photos of Mr. McMahon she reported receiving from him and alleged that he had sexually harassed her on the job, according to people familiar with the woman’s 2008 nondisclosure agreement. Mr. McMahon agreed to pay her roughly $1 million, these people said.”
Further, it is alleged that Vince McMahon attempted to initiate a sexual relationship with a manager who had worked for him for a decade, before “paying her $1 million to keep quiet about it”.
There is also a further accusation against John Laurinaitis, who is seemingly being investigated over a “$1.5 million nondisclosure agreement reached in 2012 with an employee.”.