Vince McMahon under federal investigation for sexual assault allegations

A federal search warrant and subpoena served to Vince McMahon last July was part of an ongoing investigation regarding sexual assault and sex trafficking allegations against the now-former TKO chairman.

Citing sources familiar with the investigation, the Wall Street Journal first reported the news Friday morning, offering the first insights into what the warrant was issued for and what has been happening behind the scenes.

The WSJ reported that in recent months, federal prosecutors in New York have been in contact with other women that have accused McMahon of sexual misconduct, looking for any communications between themselves and the former WWE chairman.

According to the report, at least five women named in the subpoena, including Grant, had settlement agreements with McMahon with some of them having been interviewed by the aforementioned prosecutors.

“The other women named in the grand jury subpoena include a WWE contractor whom McMahon allegedly sent unsolicited nude photos and sexually harassed; a former WWE wrestler who said McMahon coerced her into giving him oral sex; former WWE referee Rita Chatterton, who publicly accused McMahon of raping her; a spa manager who said McMahon assaulted her at a Southern California resort; and a former WWE employee who alleged the head of talent relations at the company at the time, John Laurinaitis, demoted her after she broke off an affair with him.”

According to the report, federal agents were looking for any documentation related to any allegation of “rape, sex trafficking, sexual assault, commercial sex transaction, harassment or discrimination” against either current or former WWE employees.

The investigation was launched in 2022 when the first reports of the allegations were revealed by the WSJ.

McMahon has denied the allegations in the late-January lawsuit filed by ex-employee Janel Grant — one of the women that McMahon signed a hush money pact with — and said in a statement that he will fight the lawsuit “vigorously.”

In the suit filed against McMahon, Laurinaitis and WWE, Grant is looking for the NDA she signed with McMahon nullified in addition to unspecified financial damages after McMahon allegedly only paid $1 million of their agreed-upon $3 million settlement. 

After news broke of the lawsuit last Thursday, McMahon resigned as TKO executive chairman the following day.

WWE/TKO has yet to comment publicly on this latest news while McMahon referred to his previous denial statement to the WSJ.