David Bixenspan broke the news in Rolling Stone of a new lawsuit that’s been filed by five men who worked as “ring boys” in the WWE throughout the 1980s. The lawsuit alleges that the boys were groomed and sexually abused by ring crew boss and ring announcer Mel Phillips.
It also goes on to claim that senior people in the company at that time, namely Vince and Linda McMahon, were aware of the abuse or otherwise enabled the abuse to happen by creating an environment that was unsafe for the defendants.
The suit names Both Vince and Linda, as well as WWE and its parent company, TKO Group Holdings.
The initial article does not include any response from Linda McMahon, WWE, or TKO Holdings.
Vince McMahon’s legal representation provided comments, including, “We will vigorously defend Mr. McMahon and are confident the court will find that these claims are untrue and unfounded.”
Mounting Scandals Alleged Against Vince and the Company
The new “Ring Boys” lawsuit comes on the heels of an ongoing investigation by the Department of Justice. In this non-public investigation, the DOJ is presumably exploring the allegations of sexual misconduct and sex trafficking linked to McMahon and other key staff from his tenure in WWE.
That investigation has placed another lawsuit by former WWE employee Janel Grant on an indefinite pause.
Grant alleges in her complaint that Vince McMahon hired her at WWE. That job became dependent on her continued sexual relationship with him. This arrangement is said to have continued through January of 2022.
Others in the company are alleged to have direct involvement or at least knowledge of the increasingly gruesome acts she endured.
WWE founder Vince McMahon is stepping down following an accusation of abuse, sexual assault and trafficking. pic.twitter.com/eap9OCf5k5
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 27, 2024
This is also not the first case alleging the WWE was responsible for abuse suffered by young teens either. Two young men worked on the ring crew under Mel Phillips. Phillips is the now-deceased perpetrator at the center of the new allegations.
The original “Ring Boys” case from 1992 didn’t get publicity.
It only received real coverage in the NY Post by Phil Mushnick. Mushnick claimed that Vince and Linda knew about previous claims of abuse but rehired the alleged perpetrator after warnings about that “sort of behavior,” as reported by Bixenspan.
These allegations and more could point to a pattern. That pattern, if true, would be one of severe abuse as well as a toxic culture throughout WWE under McMahon.
Criticism of Vince or the WWE is not new, with more than a few employees airing their grievances and recounting their experiences.
Next Steps for Vince McMahon and the WWE Amid These Allegations
In spite of public opinion turning firmly against McMahon and a mounting legal burden, his team denies all of the allegations. Mr. McMahon has employed that tactic before. A notable moment was the high-profile steroid court case in 1994.
The truth is that until recently, he has managed to keep himself, his partners, and the company he founded out of any legal trouble this way.
Even now, the scandals are not obviously impacting anyone other than McMahon. The company, now owned by TKO Holdings, has not seen significant fallout.
Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s creative team has been rated highly by critics and fans alike. They have also continued to make larger and larger profits each year. Its perception may yet change due to its role as a defendant in multiple ongoing lawsuits.
Five men who had worked as “ring boys” for World Wrestling Entertainment as teenagers in the 1980s filed a lawsuit alleging that they were groomed and sexually abused by ring crew boss and ring announcer Mel Phillips on the company’s watch.
EXCLUSIVE: https://t.co/Ly1tMVZkAr pic.twitter.com/TaQdJTLUWM
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) October 23, 2024
Fans’ online reaction so far hasn’t been explosive. There is a vocal section of wrestling fans deeply disturbed by this. The frequency of these claims and the acts alleged in them are appalling.
These scandals come at a tense time for the two defendants named personally. Vince is condemning his portrayal in a Netflix documentary he sat to interview for.
His wife, Linda, is going to be a high-profile member of a possible transition team for presidential candidate Donald Trump. How this newest allegation will affect WWE, TKO, and the McMahons will be an ongoing story.
The team at Last Word on Pro Wrestling will continue to follow as it develops.
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
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