SEScoops

Tag: Janel Grant

  • Vince McMahon, WWE file Motions Ahead of Hearing in Janel Grant Case

    Vince McMahon, WWE file Motions Ahead of Hearing in Janel Grant Case

    Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment filed motions on Wednesday in the Janel Grant case ahead of a June 10 arbitration hearing.

    The filings were in support of moving Grant’s case, in which she accused McMahon of sexual assault and sex trafficking, to an arbiter per a non-disclosure agreement she signed.

    “She does not dispute that, according to the agreement, she read and understood its terms and her attorney explained them to her, or that she signed the Agreement in exchange for payment,” said WWE in its motion supporting arbitration. “Grant does not meaningfully dispute this. Indeed, she does not address the delegation of arbitrability to the arbitrator at all, other than to ask that, if the Court “refers the question of arbitrability to an arbitrator, it should refrain from finding that the NDA or its arbitration clause are valid on their face.”

    McMahon and WWE say the Speak Out Act and the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 aren’t applicable to Grant’s opposition to arbitration. The defendants say the EFAA is only applicable to disputes that had “not yet risen,” when they were signed, stating that Grant signed the agreement afterward.

    McMahon attorney Jessica T. Rosenberg filed an affidavit, which included an email exchange with Grant counsel asking for all of the materials that were examined by an expert witness ahead of the arbitration hearing.

    “We have reviewed your most recent filing and write to request ‘all materials ‘considered’ by Dr. Chitra Raghavan in forming the opinions reflected in her declaration,’” Rosenberg wrote. “Including, but not limited to, any notes from the purported 30 (h)ours of clinical interviews with plaintiff, results and notes associated with psychological testing performed, and the ‘approximately 81,000 texts, emails, videos, and photographs provided by Ms. Grant as well as those produced by the DOJ.’”

    Grant attorney Greg Jones declined in a reply email, stating discovery is currently stayed in the case and McMahon and WWE have opposed discovery for the hearing.

    “We will not be producing any materials considered by Dr. Raghavan for her declaration to the defendants at this time,” Jones replied. “As you know, defendants have opposed discovery in this case from the outset, including in the more narrow context of discovery related to the motion to compel arbitration proceedings. It is also notable that the vast majority of materials … should also be in the possession, custody and/or control of defendants. Finally, your reference to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26 is inapposite and unavailing, given that discovery is currently stayed in the case.”

    Raghavan testimony was part of a motion in opposition to arbitration based on Grant’s mental health when she signed the agreement. Grant recently shared FBI letters identifying her as a possible crime victim in connection with the broader case.

    The arbitration hearing is scheduled for June 10 at Connecticut District Court. Brock Lesnar’s WWE future has also been linked to the lawsuit’s outcome.

  • Janel Grant: Nick Khan Knew of McMahon Relationship, Lesnar Named

    Janel Grant: Nick Khan Knew of McMahon Relationship, Lesnar Named

    In a declaration filed in Connecticut District Court on Wednesday, Janel Grant alleged current World Wrestling Entertainment president and TKO board member Nick Khan knew of her relationship with Vince McMahon soon after he joined the company in August 2020.

    Grant sued Vince McMahon and WWE in January 2024, accusing McMahon of sexual assault and sex trafficking in a complaint that was amended in early 2025.

    Grant’s claim against Khan was one of several new allegations made in the case. She also laid out the timeline of when she signed the non-disclosure agreement that has been a centerpoint of the civil suit.

    Attorneys for McMahon and WWE want Grant to adhere to an arbitration hearing, which was a clause in the NDA. Grant’s attorneys say the clause violates federal law, among other issues.

    According to the 40-page declaration, filed as part of her opposition to a motion for arbitration, Grant was forced by McMahon to endure relationships with several members of WWE talent.

    Khan was mentioned previously in Grant’s original complaint, filed in January 2024, and her amended complaint last year, which alleged McMahon assigned Khan with designing an office for her and former WWE talent relations head John Laurinaitis. The designs allegedly allowed McMahon and Laurinaitis to enter Grant’s office with a passcode.

    Grant’s declaration alleged she was assaulted multiple times by Laurinaitis and McMahon. Laurinaitis, originally a defendant in the case, flipped last summer and provided evidence to the plaintiff and was expected to be a witness for Grant if the case goes to trial.

    The declaration included gruesome details concerning new and past allegations:

    • Former WWE executive Brad Blum became aware of the incident after meeting Grant.
    • McMahon and Blum were confronted about Grant by former WWE General Counsel Brad Nurse. Grant said McMahon had indicated Nurse was fired because of his knowledge of their relationship.
    • McMahon’s requests for Grant to engage Brock Lesnar and other WWE talent didn’t stop after Grant signed a non-disclosure agreement on Jan. 28, 2022, but continued.
    • Grant tried committing suicide after she was “raped” by McMahon and Laurinaitis.
    • The physical toll of the abuse against Grant led to her blacking out several times. She doesn’t recall her first alleged assault by McMahon, stating she blacked out.
    • McMahon became angry with Grant’s attorney several times when he began questioning aspects of the NDA. She said she faced “backlash” from Vince when she did share information with her attorney, which he told her not to do.
    • McMahon told Grant that Laurinaitis had previously signed an NDA due to an issue between him and a WWE talent. McMahon said Laurinaitis was demoted and the NDA cost WWE $1 million.
    • Lesnar had requested Grant to travel to Chicago to meet with him for a sexual encounter.
    • Lesnar became outraged when he learned Grant wasn’t working in the legal department (which she did previously), but working in talent relations. Grant said his outrage was due to previous issues he had with the department and Laurinaitis.
    • McMahon said that private videos and photos she had sent to him had likely been viewed by “thousands.”
    • Lesnar used the name “Polish Joe” as an alias in text messages to Grant.
    • McMahon’s efforts to connect Grant and Lesnar went from July 2021 to March 27, 2022, two months after she signed the NDA.

    Grant: McMahon said Nick Khan knew of relationship

    Khan was hired as WWE President and Chief Financial Officer in August 2020.

    “In hindsight, I view Nick’s arrival as the moment my life changed for the worse,” Grant said in the declaration. “My fears about reporting the abuse were realized when I learned from Vince that he put the company’s new president, essentially, his second in command, on notice of his ongoing sexual conduct with me.

    “Nick never asked me whether the relationship was consensual. Instead, Nick also waited for Vince to finish engaging sexually with me during meetings.”

    In November 2022, Grant said Nurse was fired. She said 72 hours after his termination, McMahon flew from Florida to Connecticut to force Grant into sex in McMahon’s office at WWE HQ. According to Grant, McMahon said the encounter in his office at the HQ was a “fantasy that became a reality.”

    Grant said WWE executive Brad Blum and Khan discussed the relationship with McMahon.

    “He said they expressed concern and one questioned whether I could be trusted,” Grant wrote. “Vince told me he provided them with assurances about my loyalty, character, that I would never do something to hurt WWE, and that I ‘would sooner jump off the balcony than hurt anyone.’ He told me that, with these assurances, Nick and Brad were ultimately supportive.”

    ‘Vince coerced me to sign an NDA under duress’

    Grant said McMahon regularly told her she was a threat to him and WWE, once telling her, “Unfortunately, you appear to have my company over a barrel.”

    She said she tried resigning several times. After a brief transfer to the XFL office, Grant said she tried to stay rather than transfer back to WWE. When notifying McMahon of her suicide attempt, Grant said he only pushed her to continue meeting with Laurinaitis.

    On Jan. 9, 2022, Grant said she met with McMahon at his apartment (they both lived in the same apartment building in Stamford). He again told Grant she was a threat to the company.

    “Vince said that he could lose his power, marriage, and home in a way that would be a public nightmare for both of us and require him to involve (Jerry) McDevitt,” Grant wrote. “Unless I came up with a solution for damage control.”

    Grant said McMahon had referenced McDevitt early in their relationship.

    “Vince mentioned that he had an attorney, Jerry McDevitt, on speed dial who was the best at making problems, including people who become problems, go away,” Grant wrote. “Vince told me he did not know the identity of the source leaking the information but expressed someone was trying to hurt him, which made me collateral damage.”

    Grant said she offered to resign “in response to a threat of imminent harm and in exchange for safety and protection.” She said Vince believed “signed paperwork” would satisfy his wife, Linda McMahon, and lead her to “call off a divorce.”

    Grant was concerned with the digital material she had sent McMahon and the people he had shared it with.

    “Vince would not answer who he shared my content with but rather said that thousands of men had probably seen it,” Grant wrote. “Vince said that the compromising pornographic material, and letters he requested, were locked in his personal safe.”

    Grant said McMahon set rules for her resignation, which included her staying away from the office and continuing to see Colker for medical care.

    Despite being a WWE employee, Grant said McMahon had circumvented human resources in her NDA and release from employment.

    “Vince replied that no one would see it because these agreements do not go through the legal department,” Grant wrote.

    McMahon allegedly told Grant that the paperwork would be handled by K&L Gates, McDevitt’s law firm, and it would be put in a “dusty drawer along with ‘the others.’”

    Grant said she couldn’t sleep during this period and had texted McMahon about suicidal thoughts and severe depression she suffered. When McMahon brought up paying her to sign an NDA, she said she was “disgusted and enraged.” She said she began developing rashes on her face and body due to the stress over the NDA.

    “I had no desire to sign paperwork or receive any money, so I would have said anything to get him to stop badgering me about it,” Grant wrote.

    Grant said her concerns with the NDA centered on not being able to share what she had been through with anyone except McMahon.

    She said she never met her attorney, who McMahon and McDevitt had called untrustworthy, which further isolated her.

    According to the declaration, McMahon moved Grant’s deadline to sign the NDA from Jan. 31 to Jan. 28. Grant said she continued to back out.

    “Vince reacted with fury,” Grant wrote. “We engaged in several calls during which he yelled at me and threatened that we would suffer serious harm if I did not sign the paperwork by 8 p.m., including public harm to him, his family and marriage, his empire, my reputation, and my safety. Life as I knew it would ‘blow up’ unless I signed the NDA, and I would be solely responsible for the consequences.”

    Grant said she signed the NDA on Jan. 28, just before 8 p.m., sending a copy of the signatory page to McMahon before sending it to her own attorney. She said she didn’t know which version of the NDA she signed.

    “At 8:42 p.m., my attorney emailed me explaining his concerns with the NDA and the negotiation process, including the fact that McDevitt had been unresponsive that day,” Grant wrote. “Per Vince’s instructions, I did not tell my attorney that I had already sent Vince a copy of the executed signature page.

    “At 9:09 p.m., I texted Vince that I was scared about everything and begged him to call me. On that call, I cried that my life was now in his hands and begged him to let me be small and live a quiet life. I admitted to Vince that I was having suicidal thoughts and wanted to jump off my balcony.”

    Grant said she received a $1 million installment payment on Feb. 4. She said the same day she later shared with McMahon she was having suicidal thoughts. She said a week after the NDA was signed, she was assaulted by McMahon at his condo, and was left retching on the floor.

    McMahon sent Grant a bouquet of flowers on Feb. 14, and encouraged her to meet with an unnamed WWE talent for a sexual encounter. Grant said she told Vince that she was confused about the scope of the NDA, particularly who she could talk to.

    SEScoops asked representatives for Grant, WWE, McMahon and Laurinaitis for comment about the allegations in the declaration. Parties hadn’t responded by Friday morning.

    Edward Brennan, an attorney for John Laurinaitis, sent a statement to Post Wrestling.

    “My client has no need to comment on this salacious affidavit. Anyone can make allegations. Whether those allegations can withstand the harsh sunlight of cross-examination is another matter entirely. I note that after two-plus years of litigation, Mr. Laurinaitis remains the only party exonerated by an independent investigation commissioned by the WWE Board of Directors to review these matters and the only person dismissed, with prejudice, from this lawsuit. Those facts speak louder than any allegations made to buttress a suspect claim.”

    SEScoops reached out to representatives for Grant and asked what Laurinaitis’s status was as a witness for the plaintiff in the case. A response hadn’t been sent when the article was published.

    According to Grant, McMahon had violated the NDA when he or WWE leaked her identity and details of their relationship to a member of the wrestling media. McMahon asserts Grant violated the NDA.

    The arbitration hearing in the case is scheduled for June 16.

  • Report: Ari Emanuel Suggested DOJ Was ‘Former Latham Lawyers’ to Vince McMahon

    Report: Ari Emanuel Suggested DOJ Was ‘Former Latham Lawyers’ to Vince McMahon

    A report published by the media website PUCK on Monday suggested Ari Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor and World Wrestling Entertainment parent company TKO, may have used legal connections to help Vince McMahon when he was investigated by the Department of Justice.

    Eriq Gardner, in an article about the WWE shareholder lawsuit, wrote that Emanuel attempted to “reassure” McMahon in a voice memo to the former WWE owner in September 2022.

    Among the most striking artifacts: a September 2022 voice memo in which Ari tried to reassure McMahon by saying he’d spoken with his apparently well-connected lawyer at Latham & Watkins.

    “Just F.Y.I., everyone at the D.O.J. is former Latham lawyers,” said Ari, adding that an S.E.C. civil inquiry into the hush-money payments was a separate matter, but manageable.

    “Yes, we can indemnify you and we will,” Ari allegedly said. (At a December deposition, Ari said he couldn’t recall making the offer.)

    McMahon initially stepped down as WWE Chairman in June 2022 after the company began an investigation into allegations he had sexually assaulted and trafficked former employee Janel Grant, then retired the following month. According to a 2024 article by the Wall Street Journal, a federal criminal investigation into McMahon based on allegations of sexual assault and sex trafficking began the same year.

    McMahon remained WWE’s largest stockholder after his resignation and engineered his return as executive chairman in January 2023. He later guided WWE in a sale to Endeavor that closed in September 2023, forming TKO Group Holdings.

    McMahon resigned again in January 2024 after a civil complaint was filed by Janel Grant in federal court against McMahon, WWE and former WWE executive John Laurinaitis. Laurinaitis was later dropped from the suit after agreeing to help Grant’s case.

    In February 2025, an attorney for McMahon said the federal criminal investigation ended without charges being filed.

    McMahon and WWE are defendants in a shareholder lawsuit in the Delaware Court of Chancery, scheduled for June 8.

    An arbitration hearing in Grant’s federal civil case against McMahon and WWE is scheduled for June 10.

  • Janel Grant Shares FBI Letters Ahead of CT NDA Vote

    Janel Grant Shares FBI Letters Ahead of CT NDA Vote

    Janel Grant shared letters she received from the FBI on Tuesday along with a statement on NDA legislation in Connecticut.

    Grant, who is suing WWE and former chairman Vince McMahon on allegations of sexual assault and sex trafficking, said she received the letters from May 2023 through mid-December 2025. One letter said the FBI was reaching out because the agency had identified her as the “possible victim of a crime.”

    The letters surface as Connecticut lawmakers weigh Senate Bill 355, legislation that would limit the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of workplace sexual harassment and discrimination. Grant and her attorney Erica Nolan testified before the Connecticut Labor and Public Employees Committee in March in support of the bill.

    “Ahead of the vote in [Connecticut], I believe it’s important to share this letter in service of the broader conversation,” Grant said. “Multiple names appear in a grand jury subpoena in connection to settlement agreements related to allegations of sexual misconduct, including mine. This is why I received letters like this and I continued to receive them up until a few months ago.”

    Grant shared one letter on social media, dated May 23, 2023, along with FBI brochures on how to help victims of a crime and how to use the FBI’s victim notification system.

    Grant first spoke publicly about NDA reform at a Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence event in February. Her federal lawsuit against WWE and McMahon, originally filed in January 2024, remains active. A hearing to determine whether the case will move to arbitration or stay in federal court is scheduled for June 10, 2026.

  • Janel Grant to Speak at Connecticut Event Advocating NDA Reform

    Janel Grant, the former WWE employee who filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE alleging sexual assault and sex trafficking, will speak at a Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence event on Thursday, February 19 at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, Connecticut.

    Grant will be joined by fellow survivor Alex Brown. According to a press release from the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, the event will feature Grant and Brown sharing their lived experiences alongside advocates, state leaders, and policymakers urging legislative action.

    Grant Calls for NDA Reform in Connecticut

    The event centers on reforming state NDA laws to prevent the use of confidentiality provisions that silence survivors of sexual violence, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Advocates argue that updating state law would transform confidentiality from a tool of coercion into a survivor-centered choice.

    Grant issued a statement through the organization\’s press release, obtained by Post Wrestling, speaking about the broader impact of coercive control and non-disclosure agreements:

    \”We are all more vulnerable to coercive control than we realize. Coercive control happens in increments, and entire industries are built on systems of coercive control. Tools such as NDAs can be used to ominously justify anything, and even turn a life into someone else\’s storyline, keeping even those who have not signed confidentiality agreements working in fear.\”

    She continued, \”Any system that sacrifices people, whether current or former employees, at the expense of safety and human dignity, is dangerous, if not impossible, for someone to \’leave.\’ I\’m not alone in living a life looking over my shoulder. I am here to be a part of the solution and give a voice to people in Connecticut who are living and working in fear.\”

    Speaking Appearance Comes Amid Active Legal Proceedings

    Grant\’s public appearance comes less than two weeks after a significant development in her federal lawsuit. On February 6, U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell denied Grant\’s request for early discovery in the case, ruling she had not established \”good cause\” for obtaining records and depositions before McMahon and WWE file their anticipated motions to compel arbitration.

    However, the judge left the door open for Grant to renew the motion later in the proceedings. The ruling marked the first substantive movement in the case in approximately seven months.

    The court has also ordered both parties to meet and submit a joint filing on deadlines by February 18 — one day before Grant\’s scheduled speaking appearance in Hartford.

    Background on the Janel Grant Lawsuit

    Grant, a former WWE employee in the legal department, filed her lawsuit in January 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut against McMahon, WWE, and former WWE head of talent relations John Laurinaitis. The lawsuit accuses McMahon of sexual assault and sex trafficking during Grant\’s time as a WWE employee. McMahon has denied the allegations.

    McMahon resigned from his positions at TKO Group Holdings and WWE following the lawsuit being filed. Laurinaitis was dropped from the case in May 2025 following a confidential settlement with Grant in which he agreed to cooperate with her legal team.

    A $3 million non-disclosure agreement signed between Grant and McMahon remains central to the dispute. McMahon and WWE have argued that an arbitration clause in the NDA requires the case to be handled privately, while Grant\’s attorneys contend the clause is unenforceable under federal law, including the Speak Out Act.

    Grant has previously called on WWE to waive NDAs for other current and former employees so they can come forward with potential allegations of misconduct.

    NDAs and their role in silencing survivors have been a recurring theme throughout the case. Grant\’s advocacy at the Connecticut statehouse represents a shift toward seeking broader legislative change alongside her ongoing legal fight.

    Connecticut Senate Democrats have previously introduced legislation aimed at restricting the use of NDAs in sexual harassment settlements.

    SEScoops will continue to monitor developments in the Janel Grant lawsuit as well as her advocacy efforts.

  • Vince McMahon\’s Doctor Asks Court to Seal 700 pages of Grant Documents

    Dr. Carlon Colker of Peak Wellness asked Connecticut Superior Court to seal hundreds of documents in Grant’s bill of discovery suit against him and his company

    Attorneys for Dr. Carlon Colker and Peak Wellness asked the Connecticut Superior Court on Monday to seal around 700 pages of documents containing receipts and medical records belonging to Janel Grant.

    Grant is suing Colker and Peak Wellness in a bill of discovery case. Attorneys for Grant allege Colker and Peak Wellness refused to provide her medical records and receipts for treatment when asked during discovery for Grant’s federal suit against Vince McMahon.

    A defamation suit was filed by Colker in federal court against Grant attorney Ann Callis. At one point, attorneys for Colker had added Grant’s medical records to the case docket without them being sealed or redacted. The court later took the filings down.

    In an amended complaint filed earlier this year, Grant claimed McMahon sexually assaulted and sex trafficked her while she worked at WWE. World Wrestling Entertainment is also a defendant in the suit. Grant filed suit against McMahon in early 2024.

    Grant’s health records, and the payment receipts for her treatment, have been at the heart of her bill of discovery suit against Colker as well as her lawsuit against McMahon. According to Grant’s federal complaint, Colker had treated Grant without telling her what pharmaceuticals or treatments he was using. Grant claimed McMahon had paid for all of her treatments except for after she had been fired.

    Grant alleges an employee of Peak Wellness assaulted her, along with McMahon, while in the building. During the assault, McMahon is alleged to have performed a bodily function on Grant. In an earlier filing, attorneys for Colker and Peak Wellness said the employee no longer worked at the company. The employee is unnamed in the bill of discovery suit and the federal civil suit.

    Colker also filed an opposition to a compliance motion by Grant on Monday. Grant had asked the Grant for the compliance order on Nov. 7, claiming Colker had been refusing to hand over items as part of discovery in the case.

    “Defendants have produced just two records—an “audit log” for Petitioner’s electronic medical file and a single text message,” the Nov. 7 motion said.

    Attorneys for Colker objected to the motion, calling it overreach by the plaintiff and called it an “open-ended fishing expedition.”

    “Defendants have produced hundreds of pages of responsive documents and despite that fact, plaintiff seeks more – more than a limited bill of discovery necessitates,” the motion said.

    The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Dec. 8.

  • Judge Orders Document Handover in Janel Grant Case Against Vince McMahon’s Doctor, Denies Pre-Trial Depositions

    Connecticut Superior Court Judge David Bothwell ordered Dr. Carlon Colker and Peak Wellness to hand over requested documents to attorneys for Janel Grant on Monday during a hearing between parties to discuss discovery ahead of the civil trial between the two parties.

    Bothwell also denied a proposed schedule from Grant\’s attorneys that would have allowed them to depose Peak Wellness employees ahead of the trial.

    Grant has said that Colker and his company, Peak Wellness, have failed to follow through on handing over required documents that were part of discovery in Grant\’s federal lawsuit against Vince McMahon, as well as the bill of discovery complaint she filed against Colker and Peak Wellness last year.

    Colker, a celebrity physician who treated McMahon, also treated Grant by McMahon\’s request when she was still employed with World Wrestling Entertainment. Grant has claimed Colker often gave her prescriptions and other treatments without telling her what those treatments and prescriptions were. In her civil complaint against McMahon, Grant claims she was assaulted by McMahon and a Peak Wellness employee while at the building that included McMahon performing a bodily function on her.

    Colker and Peak Wellness attorney Frank Silvestri said the doctor and his company had handed over all of its medical and financial records regarding Grant after \”the beginning of proceedings.\”

    \”We didn\’t have a chance to discuss all the records that are being sought,\” Silvestri said. \”But there are certainly a number of them that seem to be totally unrelated to what they need to bring a lawsuit against these defendants.\”

    Bothwell said he would allow objections from Colker and Peak Wellness on what documents they were handing over, but ordered all medical records in the case to be made available to Grant.

    Grant attorney Julie Pinette said many of the medical records and financial records that Colker and Peak Wellness handed over appeared to be inaccurate or incomplete. She said some of the financial records and receipts didn\’t line up with receipts and some asserted Grant had paid for treatments that had been paid for by McMahon. Silvestri maintained that they had already handled over all of her documents.

    Silvestri said he believed the issues with the billing records were due to a misunderstanding.

    \”I\’m a new judge so maybe I\’m coming in here with some fantasy thoughts, but I\’m hoping we can work this out as amicably as we can,\” Bothwell said.

    Bothwell denied Grant\’s request for depositions ahead of the trial. He said unless someone wasn\’t potentially available due to illness or potential death, that would make the matter different but there was no reason to conduct depositions at this point.

    \”You have concerns, but those haven\’t been spelled out to me,\” Bothwell said. \”Is your concern that this evidence may not be available during the ordinary course of litigation? What\’s the concern that those people wouldn\’t be available?\”

    Silvestri said the records turned over to Grant\’s attorneys included PDFs with metadata that included who was reading the documents and when they were read. Pinette said this wasn\’t the case with the information she received.

    \”As far as the suggestion that we have metadata, I don\’t know how we are supposed to prove that unless you want to look at my computer,\” Pinette said. \”There are numerous inconsistencies including there were some things listed as paid for by Miss Grant when it clearly wasn\’t according to the defendants. This is information that concerns the treatment of Miss Grant by the defendants so I would like to stress to the court the importance of her own treatment and the medical records.\”

  • Janel Grant’s Representatives Issue Statement on Brock Lesnar’s WWE Return

    Following Brock Lesnar’s return to WWE programming at SummerSlam Sunday 2025, representatives for Janel Grant, who has filed a lawsuit against WWE and several individuals including Vince McMahon, issued a public statement addressing the situation and reaffirming their legal position.

    “For far too long, abuse was allowed to thrive under WWE’s leadership. Instead of righting this wrong, WWE has done nothing to ensure those responsible are held accountable. This attempt to sweep misconduct under the rug will backfire. We look forward to the full set of facts, including those about Mr. Lesnar, coming out in a court of law where they belong but, in the meantime, we refer you back to Janel Grant’s updated complaint, which outlines, in detail, the abuse she endured by McMahon and others while employed at WWE.”

    The statement reflects the ongoing legal battle between Grant and WWE, with her representatives expressing confidence that the judicial process will reveal what they characterize as a pattern of misconduct within the organization. The timing of this statement in relation to Lesnar’s return suggests the legal team views his reinstatement as part of a broader pattern they intend to challenge in court.

  • Janel Grant asks Vince McMahon, WWE for docs Relating to Linda McMahon in Federal Motion

    Janel Grant, a former World Wrestling Entertainment employee suing Vince McMahon and the company for sex trafficking and sex assault in federal district court, is asking for documents and communications regarding Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Dr. Carlon Colker of Peak Wellness in a motion filed on Monday.

    The request was part of a motion to compel discovery ahead of an arbitration hearing. The defendants, Vince McMahon and WWE, believe Grant should adhere to an arbitration clause in a non-disclosure agreement she signed after she left WWE as an employee instead of pursuing her case in court.

    UPDATE: Representatives for Janel Grant gave a statement to SEScoops.

    \”WWE and McMahon had the opportunity to voluntarily provide discovery and they refused. They claim the NDA and its arbitration clause are enforceable, but resist any attempts to investigate whether Ms. Grant was coerced into signing it—facts that go to the heart of its enforceability. They can’t have it both ways. Today we asked the Court to allow that discovery to proceed, Ms. Grant deserves to have the facts about her case.\”

    Grant\’s legal team claimed the NDA violates federal law including the Speak Out Act and the Federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act, as well as recent federal court precedent.

    Grant is suing for discovery in Connecticut court against Colker and Peak Wellness, where she was treated at the behest of McMahon while she was employed at WWE. According to Grant\’s amended complaint, filed earlier this year, Grant was told by Vince McMahon their relationship was discovered by Linda McMahon which led to Grant\’s firing by WWE. Communications between employees and defendants involving Colker and Linda McMahon were part of an exhibit of discovery requests as part of Monday\’s filing.

    The discovery motion mentioned communications between Vince McMahon and his former counsel Jerry McDevitt were available as evidence due to the federal crime-fraud exception in attorney-client privilege.

    Prior to the previous arbitration hearing in 2024, federal prosecutors asked Grant for a stay in her civil suit. They said discovery ahead of the arbitration hearing could interfere with their investigation of Vince McMahon. A six-month stay was placed on the case, which expired in December 2024.

    Shareholders suing Vince McMahon and TKO in the Delaware Court of the Chancery have asked for access to discovery evidence in other cases involving the former WWE owner and president, stating his issues with the federal investigation and the Grant cause led him to take a cheaper bid in the sale of WWE two years ago to TKO.

    Representatives for Vince McMahon say the federal investigation ended earlier this year. An appeals court decision earlier this year, which ruled McDevitt and McMahon should provide missing documents to federal investigators, suggested the case was possibly still ongoing.

    Grant, Vince McMahon and WWE have until July 11 to file responses to the discovery motion.

  • Dr. Colker Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Janel Grant\’s Attorney in McMahon Case

    Dr. Carlon M. Colker and Peak Wellness Inc. have filed a defamation lawsuit against attorney Ann Callis and the Holland Law Firm, according to information obtained by PWInsider. The suit, filed May 2nd in Connecticut federal court, stems from allegations made in connection with Janel Grant\’s lawsuit against former WWE CEO Vince McMahon.

    The 41-page complaint alleges Callis made false statements linking Colker to unethical medical practices in press releases and a YouTube conference. Colker\’s team claims Callis ignored medical records contradicting her claims, which she allegedly shared with media outlets, causing reputational damage.

    According to the lawsuit, Grant was seen approximately 60 times and \”actively participated in her treatment decisions\” with full explanations provided. The filing explicitly denies Grant was ever forced to undergo intravenous infusions, administered unknown substances, given unlabeled drugs, or personally injected by Dr. Colker. It states Grant ended treatment in April 2022 without expressing any concerns.

    The lawsuit includes shipping manifests showing medical records were delivered to Grant\’s legal team despite public claims they were withheld. Colker seeks compensatory and punitive damages, claiming Callis acted maliciously by spreading falsehoods. Holland Law is accused of failing to properly supervise Callis.

    For more information, visit PWInsider.

  • Vince McMahon, WWE Lawyers File Opposition To Janel Grant Amended Complaint

    Lawyers representing Vince McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis have formally opposed Janel Grant\’s amended lawsuit, which accuses McMahon of sexual abuse and trafficking. On Friday, February 21, legal teams for the defendants filed motions in the U.S. District Court in Connecticut challenging the amended complaint by Grant\’s attorneys filed last month.

    McMahon\’s counsel, Jessica Rosenberg, contended that the revised lawsuit was filed in \”bad faith.\” She added that Grant should adhere to the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) she signed prior to initiating the original lawsuit.WWE\’s legal representatives argued that the amended complaint did not counter their argument that this matter should be resolved through private arbitration. WWE, McMahon, and Laurianaitis have all argued for arbitration.

    Grant\’s amended filing introduced new evidence and allegations, asserting that certain WWE personnel were aware of McMahon\’s alleged misconduct and participated in its cover-up. While her original lawsuit against WWE, Laurinaitis, and McMahon, was 68 pages in length, the amended version is now at 101 pages.

    Janel Grant\’s battle with the three parties has gained widespread attention, especially after Brock Lesnar was named in the updated complaint. The amended filing alleges alleges that McMahon attempted to involve Lesnar in the alleged misconduct against Grant.

    McMahon stepped down from WWE in January 2024 though has denied all claims of wrongdoing, instead insisting that he and Grant had a consensual relationship. Stay tuned for updates on this case and the wider effects it could have on WWE and the wrestling world.

    Feds Drop Investigation Into Vince McMahon, Claims Lawyer

  • Janel Grant Files Motion in Vince McMahon-WWE Civil Suit in Light of NDA Ruling by SEC

    According to her counsel and a motion filed on Monday in federal district court in Connecticut, one of the non-disclosure agreements Vince McMahon was fined for last week was signed by Janel Grant. This information was part of a motion for status conference that was filed on Monday by Grant\’s attorneys.

    According to a press release last week from the Securities Exchange Commission, McMahon was fined $400,000 and paid over a million in restitution to World Wrestling Entertainment for not properly disclosing two NDAs he had signed. One was an NDA in 2022, which counsel for Grant said was the NDA she signed at the time. The other NDA McMahon was fined for was with a former WWE contractor/wrestler.

    Grant second status conference filing asked the court for a schedule due to the following developments:

    • The new judge in the case
    • No order entered on the docket officially ending the 6-month stay that was requested by federal prosecutors last year
    • Motions by defendants requesting arbitration per the NDA agreement.
    • The SEC ruling on McMahon\’s NDA with Grant.

      Attorneys for Grant planned to amend her complaint by Jan. 15, according to the first motion filed two weeks ago, but asked the court for a schedule in order to consider the SEC fines and charges against McMahon and other developments.

    \”It is clear that the Court\’s guidance is needed to reach consensus on a schedule to move this litigation forward,\” the motion said. \”Plaintiff respectfully requests the Court schedule a status conference at its earliest convenience, and enter an order clarifying that no further submissions are due until the Court instructs otherwise.\”

    In a statement to SEScoops, Grant attorney Ann Callis said the SEC charges against McMahon prove the NDA violated the law.

    “In light of the SEC’s charges proving that the NDA Vince McMahon coerced Ms. Grant into signing violates the law, Ms. Grant has renewed her request for an updated scheduling conference to ensure these new developments are reflected in her complaint and establish a clear schedule to move her case forward,\” Callis said. \”Ms. Grant deserves the opportunity to have her day in court and hold her abusers accountable.\”

    The public information officer for the Southern District of New York Attorneys office wouldn\’t give comment on Monday on the status of the federal criminal investigation into McMahon. A representative for Grant on Monday said her counsel was told in December by federal investigators that the criminal probe into McMahon is still ongoing.

  • Janel Grant’s Lawyer Responds to Vince McMahon’s $1.7M Settlement

    Ann Callis, the legal representative of Janel Grant, has weighed in on Vince McMahon\’s recent $1.7 million fine, stemming from the ex-WWE CEO\’s financial misstatements. In a statement to NBC, Callis said:

    \”During his time leading WWE, Vince McMahon acted as if rules did not apply to him, and now we have confirmation that he repeatedly broke the law to cover up his horrifying behavior, including human trafficking. The SEC\’s charges prove that the NDA Vince McMahon coerced Ms. Grant into signing violates the law, and therefore her case must be heard in court. While prosecutors for the Southern District of New York continue their criminal investigation, we look forward to bringing forward new evidence in our civil case about the sexual exploitation Ms. Grant endured at WWE by Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis.\”

    McMahon has reached a settlement with the SEC that\’ll see him pay a $400,000 civil penalty and a $1.33 million reimbursement to WWE. In their report, the SEC states that McMahon bypassed WWE’s internal accounting controls and caused material misstatements in the company’s financial reports for 2018 and 2021. McMahon has agreed to the settlement, though did not admit to or deny the SEC\’s findings.

    This payment comes amid Janel Grant’s lawsuit against McMahon, in which she alleges she was sexually abused and trafficked during her time with the promotion, McMahon stepped down from WWE in January 2024, though claims their relationship was entirely consensual. This is a developing story and we aim to provide updates as they become available.

    Vince McMahon Community Noted On X After ‘Case Closed’ Comments

  • Janel Grant to amend lawsuit against Vince McMahon, according to filings

    Attorneys for Janel Grant are amending her lawsuit against World Wrestling Entertainment, Vince McMahon and former WWE executive John Laurinaitis.

    Ann Callis, an attorney for Grant, sent an email to plantiffs\’ counsel on Dec. 16 stating they would be amending the lawsuit by Jan. 15. The email was included in an exhibit filed with a motion for status conference made on Thursday, Jan. 2.

    Grant filed her initial complaint against McMahon, WWE and Laurinaitis in January 2024. The case was placed in a stay in May for six months at the request of federal prosecutors. According to the Wall Street Journal, McMahon has been under investigation of a federal grand jury in Manhattan for sex assault, rape and sex trafficking.

    \"\"

    In an interview with SEScoops in November, Callis said other women had come forward since Grant filed her lawsuit. She said attorneys were vetting several women and could amend Grant\’s suit to include other alleged victims.

    McMahon and his wife Linda, who is expected to be Donald Trump\’s nominee for the Department of Education post with the Cabinet, were sued in October by five alleged survivors of the 1980s WWF Ring Boy Scandal in Maryland. The civil suit is currently on hold while the Maryland Supreme Court considers whether a state law voiding statute of limitations regarding negligence in sex assault cases is constitutional.

    Attorneys for McMahon re-filed his motion on Dec. 23 to appeal the Grant case to arbitration, per the non-disclosure agreement Grant and McMahon signed.

  • WWE & Vince McMahon Renew Calls For Arbitration In Janel Grant Lawsuit

    Former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is once again seeking to compel arbitration in the case filed against him by Janel Grant. In a December 23, filing submitted by his attorney, Jessica T. Rosenburg, McMahon formally requested arbitration, citing the Federal Arbitration Act.

    The filing states:

    \”Defendant Vincent K. McMahon, by and through his undersigned attorneys, respectfully moves this Court for an order compelling arbitration of this matter pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 3, 4, for the reasons set forth more fully in the accompanying memorandum of law and Declaration of Vincent K. McMahon. Defendant McMahon further moves the Court for such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.\”

    McMahon’s motion was supported by a memorandum of law that emphasizes the terms of a January 2022 agreement between McMahon and Grant, which required any disputes to be resolved through arbitration. The documents allege that McMahon and Grant were engaged in a consensual relationship for three years and that McMahon agreed to pay Grant $3 million to ensure confidentiality. According to McMahon, Grant violated the agreement by filing a public lawsuit, leading him to pay only $1 million of the promised amount.

    Janel Grant\’s Attorney Responds to Allegations Against WWE\’s Lee Fitting

    WWE, represented by Daniel J. Toal, filed a similar motion the same day. WWE’s filing also requested that the court schedule oral arguments on the matter, in addition to any other relief deemed appropriate.

    McMahon maintains that the agreement remains enforceable and insists that an arbitrator should resolve the dispute. As of now, Grant’s legal team has not filed a response.

  • Janel Grant’s Representative Criticizes WWE Amid Lee Fitting Allegations

    This week, The New York Times reported that Lee Fitting, WWE\’s Head of Media and Production, created a hostile work environment for women during his lengthy tenure with ESPN. Among his alleged actions, Fitting reportedly asked for the hotel room numbers of female staff and on at least one occasion, encouraged a staff member to sit on his lap.

    Read More On The Claims Against WWE\’s Lee Fitting

    In light of the report from The Athletic, representatives for Janel Grant issued the following statement:

    Janel Grant\’s Spokesperson Responds to New Allegations of Top WWE Producer\’s Abusive Workplace History

    WWE continues to cultivate an unsafe work environment by employing alleged predators and silencing survivors of harassment and workplace misconduct

    NEW YORK – Today, Kendra Barkoff-Lamy, the spokesperson for Janel Grant, released the following statement on The Athletic\’s new reporting of decades of sexual misconduct and workplace harassment by Lee Fitting, former ESPN Senior Vice President of Production and current WWE Head of Media & Production.

    “How can WWE claim they are committed to improving the company\’s culture, and at the same time, hire a man earlier this year who was accused of sexual misconduct and workplace harassment in his previous role? The allegations against Lee Fitting during his time at ESPN are extremely concerning. Revelations like this are why Janel Grant\’s lawyers sent a letter to WWE and Endeavor, urging them to release all current and former employees from their NDAs. The same old boys club who enabled Janel Grant\’s abuse are continuing to put alleged predators in leadership roles, and this pattern must change once and for all.”

    In October, attorneys for Ms. Grant sent a letter to WWE President Nick Khan, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, and Endeavor (WWE\’s parent company) CEO Ari Emanuel calling on WWE leadership to waive the company\’s non-disclosure agreements and allow former and current employees, wrestlers and contractors to speak out about sexual misconduct, sexual assault, harassment, workplace aggression and the toxic culture at WWE. To date, there has been no response from WWE or Endeavor to the letter.

    The full letter is available HERE

    Grant alleges that Vince McMahon sexually abused and trafficked her during her time with WWE and that the company was complicit with the actions of the former Chairman. The case was recently unpaused while a federal investigation into McMahon is ongoing. A WWE spokesperson told the Times that they had no comment on the allegations against Fitting.

  • Vince McMahon, WWE, John Laurinaitis federal case moving forward after 6 month stay

    The District Attorney with the Southern District of New York won\’t file an extension of the six-month stay in Janel Grant\’s federal civil suit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis and World Wrestling Entertainment.

    Grant filed the suit in January, claiming the defendants of sex trafficking, sex assault and other civil rights violations, as well as violating a non-disclosure agreement.

    Federal prosecutors requested a six-month stay due to possible interference between the case and an ongoing federal grand jury criminal investigation of Vince McMahon that\’s been ongoing since 2023.

    In a statement to SEScoops, attorney Ann Callis said she\’s happy Grant\’s case can proceed while the federal investigation continues.

    \”We are pleased that prosecutors for the Southern District of New York have concluded that they can continue their criminal investigation while we bring forward new evidence in our civil case about the sexual exploitation carried out by Janel Grant’s abusers. For the last six months, Ms. Grant has patiently waited to hold Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE accountable for the sex trafficking and abuse she endured at the company on a near daily basis. Her wait is over, and we now look forward to sharing Ms. Grant’s story.”


  • Janel Grant’s Attorney Ann Callis Says More Alleged Victims Have Come Forward (Exclusive)

    Ann Callis, one of the attorneys representing Janel Grant in a civil complaint filed against Vince McMahon the former President of World Wrestling Entertainment in January, said Grant\’s lawsuit against WWE and Vince McMahon has inspired other women in the wrestling industry to come forward with stories of abuse.

    Callis credited Grant with allowing other women in the wrestling industry to reach out.

    \”I can say generally Janel has been courageous in speaking out about her situation,\” Callis said. \”Her hope is she is an example to other people who feel that they are not alone and they can speak out themselves and we have been seeing that. I have had several people contact me and we are doing vetting and going through that process.\”

    Callis said while other women have contacted her following Grant\’s case, her federal civil suit against McMahon, John Laurinaitis and World Wrestling Entertainment is in a stay until December 11. This came after a request was made by the FBI and federal investigators who are looking into McMahon in a separate federal criminal case.

    Callis, who said she couldn\’t talk about Grant\’s NDA specifically, spoke with SEScoops about non-disclosure agreements in general and the impact they\’ve had on people in the work place.

    \”They have been weaponized and I think that\’s why recent laws have been passed in order to protect men and women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted in the workplace,\” Callis said.

    In 2022, the Speak Out Act was passed making it illegal for non-disclosure agreements to prohibit men and women from coming forward if they were sexually harassed or assaulted.

    A year earlier, Congress passed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act.

    Callis said these laws don\’t end contracted non-disclosure agreements automatically, but prevent them in the future in cases of NDAs signed at the onset of employment being used to silence someone who allegedly suffered sexual harassment or sexual assault.

    But the new federal laws, as well as state laws, are aimed at protecting employees in these circumstances.

    According to the American Bar Association, 82 percent of employees in the U.S. have signed arbitration agreements with their employers when they fill out paperwork starting a new job. Arbitration agreements are also part of many NDAs in discussing how disagreements should be handled.

    Before the stay was issued in the McMahon civil suit, his counsel as well as Laurinaitis and WWE\’s filed a motion for a hearing to determine whether Grant should be forced to air her grievances in an arbitration hearing in the NDA she signed.

    This type of language isn\’t just in NDAs, but in the fine print of paperwork and contracts signed by employees. Callis said many of these arbitration clauses aren\’t upheld in court and recent legislation, court precendent should make people feel better about their situation if they want to fight in courrt.

    \”When you\’re faced with a multi-national corporation or a multi-billion dollar company, there\’s a lot of road blocks that you will see when you are faced with protecting your children and feeding them,\” Callis said. \”It\’s an unfortunate situation people find themselves in but recent legislation, case law and precednet should make these people feel better about their situation.\”

    Most wrestlers are independent contractors despite meeting many of the conditions of being employees, according to descriptors set by the U.S. Department of Labor.

    \”Some companies want to characterize workers as independent contractors, but it\’s not as clear cut,\” Callis said. \”In many of these instances the courts find they are indeed employees.\”

    Several lawsuits have been filed against WWE and World Championship Wrestling over independent contractor status in the last 24 years.

    While Grant\’s civil case has been under a stay in federal court, she filed a motion for a bill of discovery against Dr. Carlon Colker and his company Peak Wellness in July in Connecticut Superior Court.

    Vince and Linda McMahon, as well as WWE, were named as plaintiffs in a suit filed weeks ago in Maryland by several alleged survivors of the 1980s ring boy scandal. The suit claimed the company and the McMahons were negligent in keeping predators away from children, who were hired as ring boys at the time and later accused WWE employees of sexually assaulting them.

    McMahon, who is no longer affiliated with WWE, was reported to be looking to start a new entertainment company last week. Linda McMahon, despite being named in the Ring Boy lawsuit, is part of Donald Trump\’s 2024 transition team as he prepares to take over the White House in January.

  • Fact-checking Piers Morgan\’s \’showdown\’ between Phil Muschnick, former WWE employees

    Friday\’s episode of Piers Morgan\’s YouTube show, Uncensored, featured former WWE employees Vince Russo, Charly Arnolt, Maven Huffman and Jonathan Coachman, discussing the current issues facing World Wrestling Entertainment and former owner Vince McMahon in the wake of Netflix\’s Mr. McMahon six-part documentary.

    McMahon is being investigated for criminal charges by a federal grand jury. McMahon, WWE, and former employee John Lauritnaitis are being sued in federal civil court for sex assault, sex trafficking and other complaints by former employee Janel Grant.

    A clip of New York Post sports columnist Phil Muschnick was aired from the documentary, where he criticized McMahon and discussed his coverage of the WWF steroid trial in the 90s.

    Mushnick\’s image immediately drew the ire of several of Morgan\’s guests. They were in for a bigger surprise later.

    Mushnick then appeared as a surprise guest, catching fire from Huffman, Coachman and especially Russo.

    Russo accusing Phil Muschnick of ignoring WWF\’s steroid symposium and testing

    Russo criticized Muschnick before he appeared on air for not covering the WWF steroid symposium that took place after McMahon was found not guilty in the steroid trial. He repeatedly took shots at Mushnick for his lack of coverage.

    Muschnick eventually fired back, stating the man behind the symposium, Dr. Mauro DiPascale, was notorious for teaching how to cheat steroid tests.

    DiPascale ran the WWF\’s drug testing program for several years. He was also involved in programs with the World Bodybuilding Federation and worked with NASCAR. He\’s written several books on what he calls the Anabolic diet.

    One source told SEScoops that rumors of DiPascale\’s showing how to cheat steroid tests were well known throughout the time he was with WWE and beforehand when he was one of the first to write about steroids. Muschnick also wrote about the allegations in 1999 shortly after the death of Owen Hart in his New York Post column.

    Another source said DiPascale was known as the guy to go to in the bodybuilding committee if you wanted to beat steroid tests.

    \”A naive media filed stories portraying McMahon as a leader in the war on drugs,\” Mushcnick wrote in his May 25, 1999 column about his drug testing program coming out of his early 90s steroid trial. \”McMahon that day named his new drug czar: Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale, legendary among body-builders for his writings on how to beat drug tests.\”

    The column mentioned the deaths of Brian Pillman and Rick Rude.

    In a 2019 interview with Bodybuilding.com, DiPascale criticized the medical establishment for how it handled steroids and doctors who felt they weren\’t healthy or didn\’t bring results.

    \”As well, being traditional and conservative by nature, they tend to follow the general moral consensus. If society in general condemns drug use by athletes, then so do they. Unfortunately they also tend to bend the information is such a way as to discourage behavior that they feel is morally or socially unacceptable.\”

    Later in the interview, DiPascale said one of his books, Drugs In Sports, was banned by the Canadian Olympic Committee. The interviewer also said the book was straightforward in showing how to beat drug tests.

    DiPascale said he wrote his book purposely straightforward as an information guide on steroids.

    Coachman, Russo, Maven said they never heard McMahon tell wrestlers to use steroids

    Coachman said he spent more time with McMahon during his time period as his assistant than anyone in the company and never heard him talk about steroids.

    Russo echoed the same point, stating he spent hundreds of hours with McMahon in the writer\’s room and he never heard McMahon say a certain wrestler needed to begin taking steroids if they wanted to keep their job.

    Maven Huffman said he told fans on Instagram that he had taken steroids. He said he was never told to by the company and he said he did it out of his own personal vanity.

    But this doesn\’t mesh at all with what other wrestlers have talked about WWE\’s hard emphasis on the bodybuilder look for years.

    Shortly before he died, Lance Cade (Lane McNaught), said in an interview he was told repeatedly while in OVW by members of talent relations that his work wasn\’t sharp enough to get him called to the roster. Feeling he was being told indirectly that he wasn\’t living up to what the company expected, McNaught said he began taking steroids. He was promoted to the main roster within a few months, and told his work had improved, despite little to no change his ability or his work to himself.

    Shoot interviews are full of wrestlers, especially during the 2000s, telling stories of how they were demoted because \”management\” didn\’t think they had the proper look. Sometimes this was a demotion to developmental \”to get in shape\”, other times wrestlers were put on the bottom of the card or taken off TV. This was common knowledge throughout the company and was talked about incessantly by talent in the company.

    Mushnick calls McMahon a real life Hannibal Lecter

    Mushnick hasn\’t written about the Janel Grant case in the New York Post. He also didn\’t mention it during his segment on Morgan\’s show. He did mention the ring boy scandal of the early 1990s, and referred to it as a \”pedophile ring.\”

    Morgan asked Mushnick how he viewed McMahon, and he said he saw him as a real life version of the fictional Hannibal Lecter, which earned guffaws from several of the WWE supporters during the segment.

    Arnolt was asked if she had witnessed or been treated in a way that matched some of the allegations made against McMahon in his civil case. She said she hadn\’t, hadn\’t seen anything of that nature, but said there was some behavior that she could have taken to human resources, but also knew this was the nature of the wrestling business.

    The lack of discussion about Grant was disappointing considering her lawsuit and the current criminal investigation in New York. More disappointing, was how quickly former WWE employees line up and are willing to fight battles for a company that either dismissed them, treated them badly or harassed them.

    This was disappointing for several reasons. Russo mentioned he immediately left the WWF for WCW when he asked McMahon if he could spend more time at home with his family. McMahon said with the money he was making, he could afford to hire a nanny to raise his kids. He said this was his impetus for getting out of the company.

    Coachman was once the victim of a vile prank by McMahon when he was put in charge of a football pool backstage, then real officers dragged him off and arrested him as a bookie as part of a vicious joke by McMahon. Coachman was also further bullied, but that didn\’t change his attitude when he defended John Layfield behavior bullying announcer Mauro Rannallo when Coachman was working for ESPN.

    Trump, McMahon similarities \’are a positive\’

    Arnolt was asked by Morgan about McMahon and his friendship with presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump. She described them for their speak-first nature, but said they \”shared positive traits.\” Both McMahon and Trump have been accused of sex assault, rape and sexual assault by multiple women.

  • Janel Grant fires back at Vince McMahon\’s doctor, Peak Wellness with new court filing

    Attorneys for Janel Grant filed a memorandum in Connecticut Superior Court on Tuesday in opposition to Dr. Carlon Colker and Peak Wellness to dismiss the bill of discovery complaint she filed in July.

    Grant\’s filing, a memorandum in law in opposition to plaintiff\’s motion to dismiss, challenges several claims in Colker\’s motion.

    Grant\’s memorandum in opposition claims McMahon was in contact with Colker during Grant\’s treatment at Peak Wellness, from Nov. 22, 2019 to April 15, 2022.

    The motion says the bill of discovery is necessary to see if there\’s reason for Grant to file a suit against Colker and Peak Wellness in Connecticut Superior Court. It also reiterates claims from her bill of discovery complaint that Colker and Peak Wellness ignored requests for her electronic medical records and only sent incomplete forms on paper in violation of four different federal laws.

    \”Defendants (and Vince McMahon) have gone to great lengths to block Ms. Grant from accessing these documents relating to her own medical care,\” the statement said.

    Colker\’s motion said. the bill of discovery complaint violated the stay requested by the FBI and other investigators in her civil case, which is paused until December. The judge in the federal civil case denied a motion to stop the bill of discovery complaint in federal court and said the court wasn\’t the correct venue.

    Grant\’s counsel claims Colker\’s attorney\’s motion to dismiss was improperly filed and should have been a motion to strike; that Connecticut Superior Court has jurisdiction to hear the bill of discovery complaint; Grant\’s bill of discovery has probable cause; McMahon, Laurinaitis and WWE are non-parties to the state action; any procedural issues mentioned by Colker\’s counsel weren\’t fact or have been fixed; Colker and Peak Wellness don\’t dispute they were timely notified of the bill of discovery complaint; Connecticut precedent says courts should make every effort to adjudicate Grant\’s action on its claims over procedural matters (Worth v. Picard).

    \”Ms. Grant filed this bill of discovery for the purpose of investigating potential claims of civil conspiracy, aiding and abetting, fraud, assault, battery, RICO, RICO conspiracy, and/or breach of fiduciary duty against Dr. Colker and Peak Wellness,\” Grant\’s motion said.

    Grant filed the bill of discovery complaint in June claiming Colker and Peak Wellness refused to send her medical records and other information earlier this year for discovery in her federal civil suit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis and World Wrestling Entertainment.

    Colker and Peak Wellness filed a motion to dismiss the discovery complaint on Aug. 29 stating the discovery complaint wasn\’t verified under Connecticut General Statute; the complaint is for a federal case and not a Connecticut state case; and Grant\’s motion ignores \”the very different and unique procedures for statutory bills of discovery.\”

    Colker and Peak Wellness counsel sent marshal to serve Grant personally

    Grant\’s motion of opposition states hours after the Federal judge refused to block her bill of discovery, Colker\’s counsel had Grant served personally with their own bill of discovery instead of going through her counsel.

    \”In a move calculated to cause Ms. Grant extreme emotional distress, Defendants sent a marshal to effect personal service of their petition on Ms. Grant at her home, despite knowing she was represented by counsel,\” the motion said.

    Colker and Peak Wellness withdrew its bill of discovery after Grant\’s counsel filed a motion to strike.

    In press release, Grant\’s counsel listed their discovery requests from Peak Wellness and Colker.

    • Ms. Grant’s electronic medical records, including all associated metadata;
    • Dr. Colker and Peak Wellness’ recordkeeping and billing procedures;
    • Payment records relating to Ms. Grant;
    • Dr. Colker and Peak Wellness’ payment arrangements with McMahon and/or WWE;
    • The purpose of Ms. Grant’s prescribed treatments;
    • The substance of Ms. Grant’s prescribed treatments;
    • Any communications between Dr. Colker and McMahon relating to Ms. Grant; and
    • Dr. Colker’s involvement in recommending Ms. Grant’s attorney for negotiation of the purported non-disclosure agreement.

    “Imagine being at your most vulnerable, and the doctor you are told to see only makes you feel worse,” said Ann Callis, attorney for Janel Grant. “Our filing today makes clear that Dr. Colker violated ethical and medical standards when he injected unknown substances into Janel’s body and directed her to take unlabeled pills while dismissing her basic questions about those drugs. Peak Wellness owes Janel Grant answers and the clinic’s secrecy and evasion must come to an end.”

    Callis, attorney Erica Nolan and SKDK firm spokesperson Kendra Barkoff Lemy will have a press call on Tuesday at 11 a.m.

  • McMahon Responds As Janel Grant Asks WWE To Waive NDAs for Others

    Janel Grant has asked WWE to waive nondisclosure agreements with other former and current employees and talent so that they can potentially come forward with allegations of misconduct under the promotion\’s watch. The Associated Press reports that a lawyer for Grant emailed a letter making the request on Monday evening to attorneys representing WWE, Vince McMahon, and John Laurinaitis.

    The e-mail, as sent by Grant\’s attorney Ann Callis, states that \”WWE continues to protect former CEO Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis by silencing survivors of sexual abuse, harassment and workplace violence.\” It goes on to state that WWE is unable to move on from its \”sordid past\” while \”victims remain silenced\” by these nondisclosure agreements. It adds:

    “We urge WWE to quickly and proactively release its current and former employees and contractors from any obligations under any WWE-executed NDA that would prevent them from discussing sexual misconduct, abuse, or assault during their time at WWE without delay. WWE wants people to believe the company has changed—this is its chance to prove it.”

    When approached, Curtis Vogal, a spokesperson for McMahon, declined to comment. WWE and Laurinaitis did not immediately return emails seeking comment and contact to Endeavor and TKO Group Holdings were not returned immediately. McMahon has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has claimed that the relationship he had with Grant was between two consenting individuals.

    When approached by Wrestlenomics, McMahon\’s team referred to attorney Jessica Rosenberg\’s prior statement:

    “Ms. Grant’s claims are false, defamatory and entirely without merit. We intend to vigorously defend Mr. McMahon and are confident that he will be vindicated.”

    Following Grant\’s lawsuit being filed, Ann Callis said that she had been \”frankly overwhelmed\” by the number of others that have come forward with similar accusations. McMahon is reported to have paid over $12 million to four women in exchange for their silence over his extramarital affairs. Grant alleges that McMahon forced her into a sexual relationship so that she could keep her job and later directed her to have relations with others in WWE, including Laurinaitis.

    Grant did not appear in Netflix\’s recent Mr. McMahon docuseries, though her claims against the billionaire make up much of the series\’ final episode. Callis has said that the six, hour-long episodes only scratch the surface of McMahon\’s alleged criminal behavior. This is an ongoing situation and SEScoops will continue to monitor this case for further updates.

  • Janel Grant\’s Laywer – Netflix\’s McMahon Doc Only Scratches The Surface Of His Criminal Behavior

    Netflix\’s Mr. McMahon docuseries has finally been released on the streaming juggernaut, four years after the project was first announced. The six-part series delves into some of McMahon\’s most controversial moments, though critics feel it fails to reveal anything that hasn\’t already been covered.

    One name fans don\’t see over the six, one-hour long episodes is Janel Grant whose lawsuit alleging sexual abuse and trafficking resulted in McMahon\’s WWE exit in January this year. In a statement shared with Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, Grant\’s lawyer Ann Callid argued that Netflix\’s docuseries has shown McMahon\’s true colors.

    “The ‘Mr. McMahon’ docuseries makes it clear there is no difference between Vince McMahon’s on-air persona and his true self, they are one and the same. His “character” – known for violent outbursts, sexual deviance, and manipulation – is the real Vince McMahon and exactly what Janel Grant experienced behind closed doors at WWE for years.\”

    Callis adds that the the series only scratches the surface of McMahon\’s alleged criminal activities, and is hopeful for Grant to have her own chance to tell her story her way.

    “While the docuseries put McMahon’s obsession with power and control on full display, it only scratches the surface of his criminal behavior and it fails to tell the full story of his abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking of Ms. Grant. She deserves the opportunity to tell her story, on her own time, and in her own way. We look forward to her day in court and to seeing McMahon at last held accountable for his actions.”

    Grant\’s comments echo her previous statement, released before Mr. McMahon launched on Netflix, in which she addressed McMahon insisting that what happened with Grant was a consensual affair. The interviews conducted with McMahon took place before Grant\’s lawsuit went public, and as a title card in the doc states, McMahon refused to take more questions after that.

    In a rare public statement of his own, McMahon has distanced himself from the project, claiming he was misrepresented by selected editing, outdated soundbites, and out-of-context footage. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Netflix\’s docuseries which is proving to be a huge topic of discussion in the world of wrestling.

  • Janel Grant attorney blasts Vince McMahon comments ahead of Netflix doc

    Ann Callis, an attorney for Janel Grant, blasted Vince McMahon for categorizing his relationship with Grant as “an affair” in a statement he released on Monday reacting to a screening of the Netflix documentary Mr. McMahon.

    Grant is suing McMahon, World Wrestling Entertainment and former WWE Talent Relations head John Laurinaitis for sex assault, sex trafficking and other claims in federal civil court. McMahon is also being investigated by a federal grand jury in New York in a criminal case.

    “Vince McMahon physically and emotionally abused, sexually assaulted and human trafficked Janel Grant for more than two years. Calling his horrific and criminal behavior “an affair” is delusional and nothing more than a sad attempt to save his shredded reputation. Although Ms. Grant has not seen the “Mr. McMahon” docuseries, we hope it shines a bright light on his abhorrent and criminal actions by accurately portraying the realities of his abusive and exploitative behavior.Ms. Grant will no longer be silenced by McMahon. Her story, though deeply troubling and exceptionally painful, is one that can help other abuse survivors find their voices. We seek to hold McMahon, John Laurinaitis and WWE accountable and to give Ms. Grant her day in court.”

    Ann Callis, attorney for Janel Grant

    Netflix’s Mr. McMahon documentary debuts on Wednesday. Netflix will begin streaming WWE Raw in 2025.

  • ‘Janel Grant is a Human Being, Not a WWE Storyline,’ Reps Say at Press Conference

    Janel Grant attorney Ann Callis and Kendra Barkof Lamy, managing director of SMDK representation, held a press conference on Thursday, a day after Grant\’s team announced the group would be joining her team during her lawsuit against WWE.

    Callis and Grant answered questions about the upcoming Netflix documentary, Mr. McMahon, which is scheduled to debut on the streamer on Sept. 25.

    Grant\’s team, in a statement to SEScoops, said Netflix approached Grant for an interview but said she wouldn\’t be taking part.

    \”Janel Grant is a human being, a victim and a survivor,\” Callis said. \”She\’s not a WWE storyline.\”

    Grant\’s civil case is currently paused in federal court at the request of federal investigators. McMahon is also under investigation by a federal grand jury for rape, sex assault and other crimes, according a reporter earlier this year from the Wall Street Journal.

    Callis addressed the upcoming McMahon documentary several times, saying she hoped the producers would shine a light on McMahon\’s behavior over the years. She noted McMahon had settled with four women for around $12 million over the past few years.

    The Daily Beast shared a report in 2018 from an incident involving McMahon at a Boca Raton tanning salon in 2006, where he was accused of groping and sexually assaulting a young female employee at the business before she ran to a Papa John\’s pizza store in the same shopping center and asked workers to call police. Police said there was probable cause to charge McMahon, but the case was dropped by prosecutors based on their not being \”proof beyond a reasonable doubt.\”

    Callis and Lamy said they wanted Grant\’s case expedited, but didn\’t get into details how. When asked if they wanted the federal investigation to move quicker, Callis said they wanted the civil case to be on track and they wanted federal investigators to \”be right\” and take their time.

    Callis said no one with Grant\’s team, or Grant, have seen the McMahon documentary.

  • Dr. Carlon Colker Withdraws Petition Against Janel Grant Amid WWE Legal Battle

    Dr. Carlon Colker has withdrawn his litigation against Janel Grant, in which he sought evidence from the former WWE employee who is suing the promotion, Vince McMahon, and John Laurinaitis. Last month, Colker filed a potential that appeared to be a precursor to a possible defamation lawsuit against Grant. In July, Grant filed a petition in Connecticut state court in which she sought to obtain her medical records in support of her lawsuit.

    Grant alleges she was directed by McMahon to visit Colker’s clinic, Peak Wellness, in Greenwich where she received treatment without being told what medicines or supplements she was being given. She added that the medical records that have been provided by Colker have been inconsistent and incomplete so far. Colker claimed that Grant had launched a smear campaign against him and that he had suffered damages due to the media spotlight on him and his clinic.

    Now, Colker has withdrawn his petition for information from Grant, POST Wrestling reports, including any potential communication she or her representatives may have had with the media. In a statement to POST Wrestling, Ann Callis, Grant\’s attorney, had the following to say:

    “Unsurprisingly, Dr. Colker has withdrawn his baseless motion. In the same vein as Mr. McMahon’s recently struck down motion, this was filed simply as yet another frivolous attempt to intimidate Ms. Grant.

    \”Ms. Grant remains steadfast in her right to seeking documents and information relating to her own medical records, meta-data, Dr. Colker’s prescribed treatments, and any communications between Dr. Colker and other parties concerning Ms. Grant or Ms. Grant’s medical treatment.\”

    Grant is suing WWE, Laurinaitis, and McMahon, alleging that she was sexually abused and trafficked during her time with the promotion. McMahon has denied that their relationship was not consensual and his representatives have gone as far as to call McMahon Grant\’s \”best friend\” during her time with WWE. This scandal, among others, will be referenced in Netflix\’s Mr. McMahon docuseries that will be released later this month.