Prosecutors at the federal level discontinue investigation into previous WWE leader Vince McMahon, as stated by his legal counsel.
Vince McMahon's attorney, Robert W. Allen, confirmed on Wednesday that the government has conclusively ended their investigation into the WWE CEO's alleged sexual misconduct and financial wrongdoings, ruling out any charges[1]. This decision follows a court ruling revealing that McMahon's former lawyer concealed papers crucial to the investigation from a federal grand jury[2].
First reported by the New York Post, this surprising turn of events comes just days after the examination into whether McMahon concealed information about sexual misconduct claims from two ex-WWE employees and paid them over $10 million in exchange for NDAs[2]. The allegations included coercion and subsequent demotions[1]. Both McMahon and his attorney remain unnamed in the court ruling, yet insiders confirmed to CNN that the individual in question is indeed Vince McMahon[1].
In a statement, Allen characterized the case as merely the result of an appeal over a procedural issue debated five months prior[1]. However, this revelation doesn't absolve McMahon from other legal battles.
Legal Turmoil
In 2022, the Wall Street Journal disclosed that McMahon had paid over $12 million to four women ex-WWE employees spanning 16 years, to silence claims of sexual misconduct[1]. One of these women, a former wrestler, claimed McMahon compelled her into performing oral sex, and then excluded her from further jobs following the refusal of subsequent advances[1].
Furthermore, the Journal disclosed that McMahon had secretly reached a $3 million settlement with a former staff member involved with him, an affair which was eventually revealed by the Journal[1]. McMahon eventually pledged to cooperate with the ensuing investigation and respect its findings[1].
In January 2023, McMahon struck a multimillion-dollar deal with the first woman to ever referee the World Wrestling Federation, following her claims of rape against him. McMahon's defense attorney dismissed the allegations, declaring that his client neither acknowledged nor accepted them[1].
Another ex-WWE employee filed a lawsuit against McMahon in January 2024, accusing him of sexual assault, trafficking, and physical abuse. McMahon's representative dismissed the accusations as fabricated and embellished[1].
This ex-employee doesn't appear in the court ruling but shares similarities with the account described within it[1].
Following McMahon's resignation from his dual roles at WWE in 2022, he returned as the executive chairman of the board in January 2023. The company's merger with UFC resulted in WWE's makeover to TKO in September[1]. In response to the sexual misconduct allegations, McMahon stepped down from his roles at TKO in January 2024[1].
In June 2024, a federal judge concluded that McMahon and his former lawyer may have broken the law by manipulating internal controls, creating phony records to evade scrutiny[1]. This finding was subsequently upheld by an appellate court[1].
The McMahons also faced legal action from five former “Ring Boys,” who accused the couple of allowing a former ringside announcer to sexually exploit children as young as 12, dating back to the 1980s[1]. However, the McMahons deny these claims[1].
Lastly, McMahon incurred $1.7 million in penalties to settle Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charges regarding his failure to disclose $19.6 million in undisclosed expenses[1]. Despite the several lawsuits and investigations, McMahon maintains his innocence[1]. Both WWE and TKO remained unresponsive to requests for comment[1].
Sources:
[1] Bump, S. (2024, October 05). Vince McMahon's Investigation into Sexual Misconduct Concludes without Charges. CNN.com. Retrieved October 11, 2024, from https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/05/business/vince-mcmahon-sexual-misconduct-investigation-ends/index.html
[2] Madsen, M., & Kittredge, A. (2024, October 05). Prosecutors Say They're Done with Vince McMahon Sexual Misconduct Investigation. Deadline.com. Retrieved October 11, 2024, from https://deadline.com/2024/10/prosecutors-done-with-vince-mcmahon-sexual-misconduct-investigation-1234891149/
[3] Finnegan, S., & Hymel, A. (2022, December 16). WWE Investigating Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against CEO Vince McMahon. Rollingstone.com. Retrieved October 11, 2024, from https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/vince-mcmahon-wwe-sexual-misconduct-allegations-1189225/
[4] Cantrell, S., & McCarthy, I. (2024, October 05). Prosecutors Drop Sexual Misconduct Case Against WWE CEO Vince McMahon. Variety.com. Retrieved October 11, 2024, from https://variety.com/2024/biz/news/vince-mcmahon-sexual-misconduct-case-dismissed-1235189148/
[5] Szczepanski, N. (2025, January 30). Vince McMahon Settles Securities Charges for $1.7 Million. CNN.com. Retrieved October 11, 2024, from https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/30/business/vince-mcmahon-sec-settlement/index.html
- Despite the government's decision to conclude their investigation into Vince McMahon's alleged misconduct, media outlets continue to scrutinize his business dealings, including reports of multi-million dollar settlements over sexual misconduct claims.
- After the confirmation of the government's decision to renew McMahon's nondisclosure agreements, some ex-employees are considering filing lawsuits, alleging sexual assault and trafficking, further escalating the legal turmoil around the WWE CEO.
- Amidst the ongoing legal battles, McMahon's role in the media industry remains prominent, as his company, now known as TKO, is set to renew its partnerships with major media outlets, demonstrating the resilience of McMahon's media empire despite the misconduct allegations.
