UPDATE: We received the following statement from Vince McMahon’s attorney:
“Today’s dismissal of John Laurinaitis as a defendant doesn’t alter the facts of this case in any way. Vince McMahon never mistreated Janel Grant. No matter how many press releases her team issues, the truth remains unchanged. As Mr. Laurinaitis’s lawyer previously said: ‘Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant’s allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded.’”
ORIGINAL: Former WWE executive John Laurinaitis has been removed as a defendant in the sex trafficking lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant, according to a new court filing submitted on Wednesday. WWE and its former CEO and Chairman, Vince McMahon, remain as defendants in the case, which is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
A part of this new information is that Grant’s legal representatives state Laurinaitis has agreed to cooperate and provide evidence. In a statement to POST Wrestling, Grant’s team said, “John Laurinaitis has agreed to cooperate and provide evidence in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE. His agreement to a confidential settlement is a pivotal next step toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking. Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life.”
They added, “We cannot provide any additional details at this time.” Grant’s amended lawsuit, approved by a judge earlier this month, includes allegations that both McMahon and Laurinaitis sexually assaulted her, and that McMahon sex trafficked her during her WWE employment, with the company.
The remaining defendants, McMahon and WWE, are expected to file motions by June 13th to move the case to private arbitration.
Full statement from former WWE employee Janel Grant's representatives below.
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— Brandon Thurston (@BrandonThurston) May 28, 2025
