WWE board investigating Vince McMahon over 'secret $3 million hush pact'

[cero2k]

src: https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/wwe- ... -hush-pact

WWE’s Board of Directors are investigating a $3 million settlement that Vince McMahon agreed to pay to a former employee who he allegedly had an affair with.

The Wall Street Journal reports that WWE’s Board of Directors has been investigating the settlement since April, and has uncovered other, older nondisclosure agreements involving both McMahon and head of talent relations John Laurinaitis that totaled to millions of dollars. The board learned of the $3 million settlement via anonymous emails received from someone identifying themselves as a friend of the former employee.

The first email, which was sent to the board on March 30, alleges that McMahon initially hired the woman as a paralegal at $100,000 a year, but was later bumped up to $200,000 after McMahon began a sexual relationship with her. The email also alleged that McMahon “gave her like a toy” to Laurinaitis. The settlement, which took place in January of this year bars the former employee, who was hired in 2019, from discussing her relationship with McMahon. The former employee moved from WWE’s legal department to become an assistant to Laurinaitis in 2021.

"My friend was so scared so she quit after Vince McMahon and lawyer Jerry [McDevitt] paid her millions of dollars to shut up," the email that was sent to WWE's board stated.

The nondisclosure agreement, which WWE’s Board of Directors received a copy of on June 12, provided an upfront payment of $1 million dollars to the former employee, with the remaining $2 million to be distributed over the next five years.

The report also said that investigators have learned in recent days of other nondisclosure agreements involving McMahon and Laurinaitis. The Wall Street Journal couldn’t confirm how many previous agreements are under investigation.

A WWE spokesman in the report said the company is cooperating fully with the board inquiry and said that the relationship with the ex-paralegal was consensual. WWE later issued an internal statement to staff after The Wall Street Journal's story was published.

"The Wall Street Journal has published a report about WWE with allegations that we and our Board of Directors take seriously. We are cooperating fully with the independent investigation initiated by our Board of Directors," WWE's statement read.

Jerry McDevitt, McMahon’s attorney, told the Wall Street Journal that the employee had made no claims of harassment against McMahon and that “WWE did not pay monies” to the former employee “on her departure.”

[Big Red Machine]

If the hush-money was coming from WWE coffers, this is a problem. If it was coming from Vince's private bank accounts, there should be no legal issue here.

[XIV]

If the hush-money was coming from WWE coffers, this is a problem. If it was coming from Vince's private bank accounts, there should be no legal issue here.

That’s the real case here. Did he use company funds for a private agreement.
But hints in that article that there being several of these types of agreements that exist, which could be damaging.

[cero2k]

If the hush-money was coming from WWE coffers, this is a problem. If it was coming from Vince's private bank accounts, there should be no legal issue here.

What I've understood from the story is that whether he used WWE money or not, there is a chance that this news going national, it may push the BOD to "invite" Vince to resign. We will know as soon as we see how the stock market reacts to the story. Johnny for sure is likely to take the loss here if anything else

[Big Red Machine]

If the hush-money was coming from WWE coffers, this is a problem. If it was coming from Vince's private bank accounts, there should be no legal issue here.

What I've understood from the story is that whether he used WWE money or not, there is a chance that this news going national, it may push the BOD to "invite" Vince to resign. We will know as soon as we see how the stock market reacts to the story. Johnny for sure is likely to take the loss here if anything else

That's true, too. I just don't see it happening. Vince, I mean. Johnny Ace is definitely doing the job on this one.

[XIV]

If the hush-money was coming from WWE coffers, this is a problem. If it was coming from Vince's private bank accounts, there should be no legal issue here.

What I've understood from the story is that whether he used WWE money or not, there is a chance that this news going national, it may push the BOD to "invite" Vince to resign. We will know as soon as we see how the stock market reacts to the story. Johnny for sure is likely to take the loss here if anything else

That's true, too. I just don't see it happening. Vince, I mean. Johnny Ace is definitely doing the job on this one.

Everyone knows that at this point, Vince and Linda remain married in function only. It has been long reported that they don't live with each other and rarely communicate, so this has very little home impact for Vince.

If this all happened in 2019, Jonny Ace stands to lose a lot, because isn't he married to the Bella Twins mother? If this news of conduct comes as a shock... there may be some serious home repercussions for Johnny Ace as well as his employment status.

[cero2k]

Everyone knows that at this point, Vince and Linda remain married in function only. It has been long reported that they don't live with each other and rarely communicate, so this has very little home impact for Vince.

If this all happened in 2019, Jonny Ace stands to lose a lot, because isn't he married to the Bella Twins mother? If this news of conduct comes as a shock... there may be some serious home repercussions for Johnny Ace as well as his employment status.

i didn't mean he would suffer consequences in his personal life, just straight up that the board of directors thinking that a lot of people coming out with allegations and him shussing them up is gonna tank the stock price and so they'll push Vince out. Think about it, anyone whoever had something and didn't cash out could be seeing those $3M as an option right now

[KILLdozer]

What an absolutely bizarre wtf time for WWE right now...this with all the injuries and hiatuses...