Vince McMahon Quits WWE Amid Sex Trafficking, Rape Allegations
Vince McMahon has decided to resign from WWE amid allegations of sex trafficking and rape.
WWE's co-founder and long-term chairman Vince McMahon quite the company and its parent body, TKO Group Holdings, after being accused of sex trafficking and rape. As per reports, former WWE employee Janel Grant accused McMahon of sexual assault and physical abuse. According to The Washington Post, Janel Grant filed the lawsuit in Connecticut, US. In the court documents, she alleged that she was sexually abused by Mr McMahon while he was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the WWE. She also described the "psychological torture and physical violence" she was subjected to by the former WWE chairman.
McMahon, however, claimed that he is innocent and the allegations against him are all false. In a statement, he said: "I stand by my prior statement that Ms. Grant's lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name."
But, McMahon decided to resign from the WWE Universe until the allegations against him are proven wrong.
"However, out of respect for the WWE Universe, the extraordinary TKO business and its board members and shareholders, partners and constituents, and all of the employees and Superstars who helped make WWE into the global leader it is today, I have decided to resign from my executive chairmanship and the TKO board of directors, effective immediately," McMahon added.
WWE's long-time sponsor Slim Jim also released a statement after McMahon decided to resign, saying they've decided to pause their promotional activities with WWE, owing to the accusations.
"Slim Jim values integrity and respect in all of our partnerships. Given the recent disturbing allegations against Vince McMahon, at this time we've decided to pause our promotional activities with WWE. This decision reflects our commitment to our brand values and responsibility to our community," read the statement.