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Former WWE executive John Laurinaitis was initially named in Janel Grant’s sex trafficking lawsuit along with Vince McMahon and the company itself. Through his attorneys, Laurinaitis initially sought to cast himself as a McMahon victim before aligning his case with those of his former boss and employer. Then last May, the former wrestler-turned-talent relations exec was dropped from Grant’s suit after agreeing to cooperate with and provide evidence to her legal team.
It seems the affidavit filed by Grant’s attorneys earlier this week changed the tenor of that cooperation. It included several accounts of Grant being forced into sexual situations with McMahon, Laurinaitis, and others.
Today (April 3), Laurinaitis lawyer Edward M. Brennan provided the following to Post Wrestling’s Brandon Thurston on his client’s behalf:
“My client has no need to comment on this salacious affidavit. Anyone can make allegations. Whether those allegations can withstand the harsh sunlight of cross-examination is another matter entirely.
“I note that after two-plus years of litigation, Mr. Laurinaitis remains the only party exonerated by an independent investigation commissioned by the WWE Board of Directors to review these matters and the only person dismissed, with prejudice, from this lawsuit. Those facts speak louder than any allegations made to buttress a suspect claim.”
Laurinaitis recently embarked on a second attempt to re-launch his career in pro wrestling after he was let go by WWE during McMahon’s initial 2022 hush money scandal.
Grant’s suit is pending a federal judge’s decision on whether it will be argued in public court or private arbitration. WWE and McMahon want the private arbitration clause of the non-disclosure agreement she signed to be enforced; Grant’s affidavit this week was in support of her claim that NDA was signed while she was not only still subject to McMahon’s abuse, but remained dependent on McMahon and WWE by their design.
