Vince McMahon Denies Sex Trafficking Claims, Seeks Arbitration in Janel Grant Lawsuit

Vince McMahon, the former executive chairman of WWE, has filed a motion to compel arbitration in response to a lawsuit filed by Janel Grant, a former WWE employee. Grant's lawsuit alleges sex trafficking, emotional abuse, and sexual assault by McMahon dating back to March 2019. However, McMahon has vehemently denied these claims.

In the filing, McMahon's lawyers argue that Grant's allegations are "pure fiction" and "flatly contradicted" by her own statements. They dispute Grant's claims about her financial and caregiving situation when she met McMahon in 2019, stating that her father had passed away two years earlier and her mother was not living with her. McMahon's team also claims that Grant was involved in other romantic relationships, including living with her fiancé Brian Goncalves in the same building as McMahon.

McMahon alleges that Grant violated a confidential settlement agreement by publicly filing the "salacious, false, and defamatory" lawsuit, and he is seeking to resolve the dispute through arbitration rather than in court. The filing asks the court to stay Grant's lawsuit and allow the parties to settle any disputes through binding arbitration, as required by the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) Grant signed in 2021.

Why this matters: The outcome of this high-profile legal battle could have significant implications for how similar cases are handled within the professional wrestling and entertainment industries. It also sheds light on the ongoing issue of sexual misconduct allegations against powerful figures in these fields.

Grant's attorney, Ann Callis, has responded to McMahon's filing, accusing him of twisting the narrative and using Grant's grief over the deaths of her parents against her. Callis stated that Grant was caring for her dying father and blind, wheelchair-bound mother, and had no job or financial support at the time. She also said that Grant was not dating anyone and was staying in her ex-boyfriend's apartment as she rebuilt her life after caring for her parents.

The legal battle between McMahon and Grant is ongoing, with more information expected to be released as the case progresses. McMahon's motion to compel arbitration seeks to have the matter handled through private arbitration, while Grant's team aims to keep the dispute in the public court system. As Callis stated, "Vince McMahon's actions are an all new level of disgusting."

Key Takeaways

• Vince McMahon files motion to compel arbitration in lawsuit by former WWE employee Janel Grant.
• Grant alleges sex trafficking, emotional abuse, and sexual assault by McMahon since 2019, which he denies.
• McMahon claims Grant violated a confidentiality agreement and seeks to resolve dispute through arbitration.
• Grant's lawyer accuses McMahon of twisting the narrative and using Grant's grief against her.
• The legal battle continues, with implications for handling sexual misconduct allegations in wrestling/entertainment.