The longstanding boss of the WWE, Vince McMahon, is accused of giving more than $12 million in hush money to women who accused him of sexual harassment during a 16-year period.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the reimbursements were given to four women who had all signed contracts preventing them from discussing their ties with McMahon or any prospective legal claims they might have against him.
The previously undisclosed payments are related to instances that reportedly began in 2005, when McMahon allegedly forced a female wrestler to engage in oral sex before demoting her and not renewing her contract, according to persons with knowledge of the situation.
The wrestler was retaliated against after she turned down further sexual advances from McMahon, and she was paid roughly $7.5 million in 2018 to keep quiet about the incidents, according to the Journal.
McMahon, who is worth $2.1 billion, also allegedly paid a WWE contractor around $1 million after she came to the company with unsolicited nude pictures of McMahon that were sent to her by him.
The Journal reports that the wrestler received payment of nearly $7.5 million in 2018 to be silent about the occurrences after declining future sexual attempts from McMahon.
McMahon, who has a net worth of $2.1 billion, is also accused of paying a WWE contractor $1 million after she presented the business with unauthorized nude photos of McMahon that he had provided to her.
People with knowledge of the situation stated that the lady also obtained a non-disclosure agreement in 2008 and reported incidents of sexual harassment at work.
A former manager who had worked with McMahon for ten years before beginning a sexual connection with him was compensated $1 million in a 2006 deal to remain silent about it.
The Journal has also previously covered a $3 million deal that McMahon reportedly made with a former WWE paralegal with whom he had a consensual relationship.
According to the investigation, the paralegal and McMahon first met in the residence before he hired her without having her apply.
The 2018 arrangement with the former wrestler is being looked into by the WWE board along with the relationship with the paralegal. Uncertainty surrounds whether they are also looking into the contracts with the former management and contractor.
The board is also looking into allegations that John Laurinaitis, an executive for WWE, had sex with the same paralegal.
Before being moved into a reduced position at the business, Laurinaitis, a professional wrestler known as Johnny Ace, served as the head of WWE talent relations from 2004 until 2012.
The same year he stepped down; he was allegedly involved in a $1.5 million non-disclosure agreement with an employee who made misconduct claims against him. The employee claims she was demoted after ending a sexual relationship with Laurinaitis.
Laurinaitis was restored to his former role as head of talent relations last year before being placed on administrative leave.
The investigation by board’s outside counsel, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, was triggered after WWE directors received anonymous emails earlier this year that said McMahon and Laurinaitis took advantage of the former paralegal.
WWE could not be reached for comment on the allegations.
Stephanie McMahon took over as WWE’s chairman and CEO after McMahon resigned on June 17 while the investigation was still ongoing.
WWE values McMahon highly and views him as “vital” to their success. The company established a record with its $1.1 billion in revenue last year.
WWE’s revenue comes from TV licensing agreements with Fox and NBCUniversal as well as a five-year, $1 billion exclusive deal with the Peacock streaming service from NBCUniversal.
The McMahon family has a lengthy history of association with WWE.
He became involved through his own father, who gave him his first job as a ring announcer when he was a teenager.
McMahon then climbed through the ranks of the company, which was then called the Capitol Wrestling Corporation.
The company changed to become the World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s, then World Wrestling Entertainment years later.
It is under McMahon’s stewardship that the sport became commercially popular, attracting millions of fans around the world through televised matches and theatrical characters.