Photo Credit: Post Wrestling
0
0
Janel Grant publicly revisited the reporting that sparked the WWE misconduct scandal involving Vince McMahon. She shared two detailed Instagram posts on June 18, 2026. Her posts examined reporting from June and July 2022. She also included deposition excerpts, legal filings, and a federal subpoena made public through related litigation. Grant filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE in January 2024. Her lawsuit alleges sex trafficking, sexual abuse, and coercion. Furthermore, she claims McMahon trafficked her to other men within WWE. McMahon has denied all allegations. Meanwhile, court filings show that Grant, McMahon, and WWE remain in active discussions. They may move her federal sex trafficking lawsuit into private arbitration. The parties disclosed those discussions in a joint filing submitted to a Connecticut federal court during June 2026.
Grant’s first Instagram post focused on a June 15, 2022, Wall Street Journal article. That report revealed that WWE’s Board of Directors investigated a $3 million nondisclosure agreement involving McMahon and Grant. At that time, the article did not identify Grant by name. However, Grant challenged several details from that report. The article described her as a paralegal. Grant wrote that she worked in WWE’s legal department but held a coordinator position. She also disputed claims that she had merely fallen on hard times and needed extra money. Instead, she explained that she had no job, no salary, no savings, and significant student debt before joining WWE. In addition, Grant stated that the article understated her family circumstances. The report mentioned one sick parent. Grant responded that she cared for both parents before they died.
The 2022 article also cited WWE’s position that Grant’s relationship with McMahon was consensual. Grant rejected that characterization. She called it a “storyline.” Her lawsuit instead alleges coercion and abuse. McMahon continues to deny those allegations. Grant included testimony from former WWE board member Jeffrey Speed. Speed led the board’s special committee investigation during 2022. According to his deposition, investigators learned about graphic text messages and images connected to McMahon and Brock Lesnar. Speed testified that committee members received descriptions of those materials. However, they did not directly view the images themselves. Grant also highlighted portions of a shareholder lawsuit brief. That filing argued that damaging evidence forced McMahon’s resignation on July 22, 2022. The brief referenced a graphic text message that McMahon’s legal team produced during the investigation. That same day, McMahon announced his retirement from WWE.
The filing also quoted messages from Mark Shapiro, now president of TKO. According to the brief, Shapiro predicted that McMahon would eventually return and pursue a corporate transaction involving WWE. Grant’s second Instagram post addressed a July 8, 2022, Wall Street Journal report. That article revealed that McMahon allegedly paid $12 million through four separate nondisclosure agreements involving former WWE employees. Grant explained that the report dramatically affected her life. After the story appeared, social media users identified her publicly. She also discovered online message board discussions attempting to locate her. One thread even used a photograph of another person with the same name.
Furthermore, Grant argued that details about her living arrangements exposed private information. The article noted that she met McMahon at a condominium complex where they both lived. Grant said that information effectively revealed her residence and new workplace. As a result, she felt exposed and compared the experience to being doxxed.
Grant stressed that she does not blame the Wall Street Journal reporters. Instead, she criticized unnamed sources who provided information about her. She also disputed several employment-related details. Grant stated that she never held the title of legal assistant. She said the title reflected an internal placeholder designation. She also challenged claims that she never applied for her WWE position. According to Grant, she attended a meeting for career advice before WWE hired her. Additionally, Grant corrected salary figures. She acknowledged that her compensation later increased from $100,000 to $200,000. However, she said her initial salary totaled $75,000, not $100,000. The post also included deposition testimony from WWE President Nick Khan. Khan testified that by July 22, 2022, he knew about several graphic text messages. He further testified that federal investigators examined potential sex trafficking issues alongside accounting concerns.
Grant also shared testimony involving former WWE executive Frank Riddick. Attorneys played a September 2022 voicemail from Ari Emanuel, the current TKO CEO. In that message, Emanuel told McMahon that the matter did not appear criminal. Emanuel also discussed potential indemnification outside any Department of Justice investigation. However, Emanuel later testified that neither he nor Endeavor ever indemnified McMahon. Even so, the Delaware judge overseeing the shareholder case ruled that he would presume the offer influenced McMahon’s decision-making during merger discussions. The case later settled before trial. Grant concluded her post with a page from a Department of Justice grand jury subpoena. Federal authorities served the subpoena on WWE on July 21, 2023. The subpoena required testimony and documents before an August 15, 2023, appearance date. The subpoena listed possible violations involving financial reporting and sex trafficking statutes.
Those statutes included securities fraud provisions, wire fraud laws, conspiracy statutes, record falsification laws, racketeering provisions, and sex trafficking statutes. The subpoena also referenced federal laws concerning transportation or coercion for illegal sexual activity.
Importantly, neither McMahon nor anyone else faced criminal charges from that investigation. The controversy also led WWE to revise prior financial statements. Previously undisclosed NDA-related expenses required corrections in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In January 2025, the SEC ordered McMahon to pay a $400,000 penalty. The agency also required him to reimburse WWE $1.3 million. The SEC connected those penalties to stock trades made while WWE’s financial reports contained inaccuracies tied to undisclosed NDA payments. McMahon did not admit wrongdoing in that settlement. At the time, he stated that investigators found only minor accounting errors involving personal payments. However, later-released testimony from Nick Khan confirmed that federal investigators also examined potential sex trafficking allegations during their broader review.
Author Profile
-
Bradley Walker serves as the Director of Operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
Latest entries
EntertainmentJune 24, 2026Janel Grant Reopens WWE Scandal With New Claims and Court Documents
BasketballJune 23, 2026NCAA Ends Redshirts, Approves Sweeping Five-Year Eligibility Rule
GolfJune 23, 2026Lexi Thompson Withdraws, Nicole Felce Steps Into Major Spotlight at Hazeltine
GolfJune 22, 2026Clark Survives Late Drama to Capture Second U.S. Open Title
About the Author
