Vince McMahon accuser Janel Grant says ‘doors of secrecy blown off’ as ex-WWE staffer speaks out on sex assault lawsuit

A FORMER WWE employee has released a statement about the sexual abuse she allegedly suffered under Vince McMahon.

Janel Grant, 43, claims she was “the victim of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking” during her time with the wrestling organization.

Vince McMahon has been accused of sexual assault by former WWE employee Janel GrantGetty Images

Getty

McMahon stepped down from his roles as TKO Executive Chairman and from his position on the TKO Board of Directors hours after the podcast was released[/caption]

According to the lawsuit filed Thursday, she claimed McMahon had coerced her into taking part in a number of heinous sexual acts, such as defecating on her head during a threesome and using sex toys on her that he named after wrestlers.

McMahon has vehemently denied the allegations, but announced he was stepping down from his role at WWE and UFC parent company TKO Group Holdings on Friday.

It came just hours after his accuser’s lawyer, Ann Callis, read a statement on behalf of Janel Grant during an interview on the Law&Crime podcast, Crime Fix with Angenette Levy.

“She hopes those at the company past and present who fear speaking out about harm is a thing of the past,” read Callis.

“She wishes them all peace.”

Grant had filed the bombshell lawsuit, which refers to Grant’s time at WWE from 2019 to 2022, on Thursday.

Before being hired to work in the WWE office in Stamford, Connecticut, Grant was introduced to McMahon by a manager in her building.

When Grant went to meet the 78-year-old executive in the building’s penthouse to talk about future career opportunities in the WWE, she claims he greeted her in his underwear.

She also alleged he offered her a position at the company in return for sexual favors.

After McMahon created a position for her in the company’s legal department, he is alleged to have harassed her with sexually explicit text messages.

While Callis attempted to end the relationship, McMahon allegedly shared explicit content of Grant without her knowledge or consent in March 2020.

In a plethora of screenshots of Grant and McMahon’s conversations, McMahon allegedly texted Grant, telling her other WWE employees wanted to have sex with her after seeing her naked.

In March 2020, Grant accused McMahon of sharing explicit photographs and videos of her without her consent.

McMahon allegedly locked Grant inside his private locker room and forced himself on her over a massage table, she claims in the lawsuit.

Grant also alleged that in March 2022, McMahon tried to traffic her to a top WWE superstar, who was not named in the suit.

Speaking on Angenette Levy’s podcast on Friday, Janel Grant’s attorney said Grant “felt caged and imprisoned by Vince McMahon.”

“The escalation of the degrading things that happened to her, it is important for it to come out,” Callis said.

“These are allegations that we hope to prove to be true.”

“She wants her life back. She wants ownership of her story. She wants to help other victims. Her hope is to help other victims to come forward.”

A spokesperson for McMahon said the allegations are, “riddled with falsehoods, baseless fabrications of events that never transpired, and a malicious distortion of the truth.”

McMahon went on to confirm his resignation from TKO Group Holdings on Friday night, insisting he looks forward to clearing his name.

“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,” McMahon said in a statement, reported by Deadline.

“I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.

“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, effectively immediately.”

WWE boss Nick Khan reportedly told his staff in an internal email on Friday that McMahon had resigned and “will no longer have a role with TKO Group Holdings or WWE.”

Grant’s lawsuit is seeking various damages and a voiding of an NDA the former staffer claims she was forced to sign.