Vince McMahon accused of allowing ‘rampant’ sex abuse of underage ‘ring boys’

Vince McMahon is facing yet different lawsuit, this clip from 5 erstwhile “ring boys” who assertion the wrestling mogul did thing to halt them from being exploited and sexually abused erstwhile they worked arsenic underage employees for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

The lawsuit, filed anonymously successful Maryland tribunal this week against McMahon, his woman Linda, WWE and its genitor company, TKO Group Holdings, contains accusations that the parties allowed “open, rampant abuse” of ringing boys arsenic young arsenic 12, who worked alongside announcer Melvin Phillips Jr. successful the 1980s and 1990s.

Phillips, who died successful 2012, is the alleged perpetrator of the abuse, and the suit claims helium groomed and abused young boys aft recruiting them to assistance acceptable up the ringing and tally errands for WWE’s travelling broadcast.

“Phillips’s existent information successful luring the ringing boys with the committedness of gaining entree to the fashionable WWE events was to sexually maltreatment them,” the suits alleges. “And Vince McMahon knew it, admitting that helium was aware, astatine slightest arsenic aboriginal arsenic the 1980s, that Phillips had a ‘peculiar and unnatural interest’ successful young boys.”

The instrumentality steadfast representing the accusers said Phillips targeted children from breached homes, but that the maltreatment occurred “in plain sight,” often successful wrestling venues and edifice rooms portion connected tour.

“Thanks to the bravery of our clients, we yet person a accidental to clasp accountable those who allowed and enabled the open, rampant intersexual maltreatment of these young boys,” Greg Gutzler, a spouse astatine DiCello Levitt, said successful a press release shared by wrestling newsman Brandon Thurston.

Jessica Rosenberg, a lawyer for McMahon, told USA Today that the allegations are “false claims” and stem from New York Post columnist Phil Mushnick’s reporting of the alleged maltreatment 32 years ago.

“The negligence claims against Mr. McMahon that were asserted contiguous trust connected these same absurd, defamatory and utterly meritless statements by Mr. Mushnick. We volition vigorously support Mr. McMahon and are assured the tribunal volition find that these claims are untrue and unfounded,” Rosenberg said successful a statement.

While Phillips was fired for a abbreviated clip successful 1988, helium was rehired conscionable six weeks aboriginal with a informing to “steer wide from kids,” the filing alleges.

“By rehiring him, defendants allowed Phillips to proceed abusing guiltless kids,” the suit says.

It’s the latest suit levelled against McMahon and his brand. Both are facing caller scrutiny aft Netflix’s caller Mr. McMahon docuseries started streaming; the bid takes an in-depth look astatine the problematic and pervasive issues down the scenes successful the WWE.

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In 2022, McMahon stepped down arsenic CEO and president of WWE during an investigation into alleged misconduct, but helium returned to the WWE arsenic enforcement president six months later.

At the time, the Wall Street Journal reported that McMahon agreed to wage more than US$12 million implicit the past 16 years to suppress allegations of intersexual misconduct and infidelity.

Six months aft his return, successful January of this year, helium was deed with different harrowing suit — this clip from ex-WWE worker Janel Grant, who accused McMahon of emotionally and physically abusing her, defecating connected her assemblage during radical enactment and insisting she person enactment with him and different men.

Grant said she feared she would beryllium fired if she didn’t comply with McMahon’s abuses.

McMahon disputed the allegations, saying successful a connection earlier this year: “I basal by my anterior connection that Ms. Grant’s suit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that ne'er occurred, and is simply a vindictive distortion of the truth.”