WWE’s Vince McMahon Focus of Investigation with Ex-employee, $3 Million in Hush Money

World Wrestling Entertainment chief Vince McMahon, 76, is at the focus of an investigation within the WWE involving hush money McMahon may or may not have used to keep his relationship with a former employee under wraps.

According to The Wall Street Journal, eight members of the WWE’s board of directors are spearheading an investigation looking at a potential relationship between McMahon and a female paralegal employed by WWE between 2019 and 2022.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP will represent the execs looking into the alleged affair.

Board members were first tipped off about the relationship when a number of the executives received a series of emails coming from a friend of the unnamed paralegal.

Vince has been married to political executive Linda McMahon since 1966. She previously served under President Donald Trump as administrator of the Small Business Administration.

On March 30, the initial email detailed that the female employee began a relationship with McMahon, which ultimately ended in emotional distress and an NDA.

The ex-employee attested to seeing her salary double — from $100,000 to $200,000 — as an apparent result of the relationship, also acknowledging that she had endured financial hardships at the time.

Then the account alleged that McMahon “gave her like a toy” to fellow WWE executive John Laurinaitis, known by his wrestling moniker Johnny Ace. In 2021, the employee worked as an assistant to Laurinaitis, the head of talent relations at WWE.

She eventually quit and reached a nondisclosure agreement with McMahon, paired with attorney Jerry Devitt, in January 2022. The pact was reported at $3 million total.

“The nondisclosure agreement provided an upfront payment of $1 million to the former employee, with the remaining $2 million to be doled out over a period of five years,” noted WSJ.

McDevitt, from K&L Gates law firm in Pittsburgh, previously defended McMahon in the 1990s when the WWE chief faced “federal charges of distributing and conspiring to distribute steroids to WWE wrestlers.”

McDevitt responded to The Journal, relaying that the relationship was deemed consensual by both parties and that the employee never alleged any harassment by McMahon. McDevitt also denied any claims of handing out hush money after the employee quit.

Stay tuned with OutKick as the story develops.

Follow along on Twitter: @AlejandroAveela

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