3:43 pm - February 23, 2025

Vince McMahon Cleared in Federal Investigation into Sexual Misconduct Cover-Up

Ending of the Federal Investigation

Federal prosecutors have officially closed their criminal investigation into Vince McMahon, the former CEO and chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), regarding allegations that he attempted to cover up claims of sexual misconduct with multiple former employees. McMahon’s attorney, Robert W. Allen, confirmed the conclusion of the investigation, stating that there was no ambiguity and that no charges would be filed. This news was first reported by The New York Post on Wednesday. The investigation’s termination comes less than a week after a grand jury and a federal appeals court examined whether McMahon had committed a crime by hiding allegations of sexual misconduct from two former female employees, whom he allegedly paid over $10 million in exchange for signing nondisclosure agreements.

According to court documents, McMahon and his former lawyer allegedly concealed the allegations and payments from the company. For instance, they used text messages instead of emails to share the executed agreements, apparently to avoid the company’s knowledge. While McMahon and his attorney were not explicitly named in the ruling, a source confirmed to CNN that McMahon was indeed the individual in question. Despite the new court filings, Allen emphasized that the matter was now closed and that the filing was merely the result of an appeal of a procedural matter that had been argued five months prior.

History of Allegations and Payments

In 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported that McMahon had paid more than $12 million to four women formerly employed by WWE over 16 years to silence claims of sexual misconduct. One of the women, a former WWE wrestler, alleged that McMahon had coerced her into performing oral sex and later demoted her and opted not to renew her contract after she declined subsequent sexual advances. The news followed a separate Journal report that WWE’s board was investigating McMahon for quietly agreeing to pay a $3 million settlement to a former staffer with whom he allegedly had an affair. At the time, McMahon pledged to cooperate with the investigation and “accept the findings and outcome of the investigation, whatever they are.”

In January 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported that McMahon had reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the first woman to referee the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which later became WWE in 2002. The former staffer accused McMahon of rape in a letter. McMahon’s attorney denied the sexual assault, stating that he had “settled the case solely to avoid the cost of litigation.” Another ex-WWE employee sued McMahon in January 2024, accusing him of sexual assault, trafficking, and physical abuse. A spokesperson for McMahon at the time described the lawsuit as “replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the truth.”

McMahon’s Leadership Changes and Legal Battles

McMahon resigned from his dual roles as WWE’s CEO and chairman in 2022 amid the mounting allegations. However, he returned in January 2023 as the executive chairman of the board. Later that year, WWE merged with its rival network, UFC, forming TKO Group. In January 2024, following renewed sexual misconduct allegations, which McMahon denied, he resigned from his roles as executive chairman and board director at TKO. In June 2024, a federal judge ruled that the government had established “probable cause to believe” that McMahon and one of his former lawyers had broken the law by “circumventing (the company’s) internal controls and creating false books and records.” The appellate court’s new filing on Tuesday affirmed the lower court’s ruling.

In October 2024, McMahon and his wife, Linda—formerly President Trump’s choice for Education Secretary—were sued by five former WWE “Ring Boys” for allegedly allowing a former ringside announcer to use his position to sexually exploit children as young as 12 starting in the 1980s. Vince and Linda McMahon have denied the allegations. Separately, in November 2024, McMahon settled charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) related to his alleged failure to properly disclose $19.6 million in unrecorded expenses to the company’s board. He paid $1.7 million to settle the charges, which he downplayed as “minor accounting errors” and framed as vindication of his maintained innocence.

Aftermath and Ongoing Legal Troubles

McMahon has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the face of these allegations, describing the SEC settlement as a resolution to minor accounting errors. “There was never anything more to this than minor accounting errors with regard to some personal payments that I made several years ago while I was CEO of WWE,” McMahon said in a January 2024 statement. “I’m thrilled that I can now put all this behind me.” However, the conclusion of the federal investigation does not necessarily mark the end of McMahon’s legal troubles. The 2024 lawsuit alleging sexual assault and trafficking is still ongoing, and the latest court filings have reignited scrutiny into his past actions.

WWE and TKO Group did not respond to requests for comment on the matter, leaving many questions unanswered about the company’s involvement in or knowledge of the alleged misconduct. The case has raised broader questions about corporate governance, the use of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence victims of misconduct, and the accountability of high-profile executives in the face of serious allegations. As McMahon seeks to move past this chapter, the legal and reputational fallout from these claims will likely continue to be a subject of public interest and debate.

Conclusion

The conclusion of the federal investigation into Vince McMahon’s alleged cover-up of sexual misconduct marks a significant turning point in a saga that has spanned years and involved multiple women, millions of dollars in settlements, and numerous legal battles. While McMahon has consistently denied any wrongdoing, the sheer volume of allegations and the detailed court filings paint a troubling picture of a culture of secrecy andPOWER imbalances at WWE. As McMahon and his wife, Linda, continue to face additional legal challenges, including the ongoing lawsuit alleging child exploitation, the wrestling mogul’s legacy remains clouded by these unresolved issues. The case serves as a stark reminder of the challenges in holding powerful individuals and corporations accountable for alleged misconduct and the enduring impact on victims and the public alike.

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