Who is Janel Grant? Woman suing WWE’s Vince McMahon after sex trafficking allegations
JANEL Grant is a former WWE employee who filed a lawsuit in January 2024, alleging sexual misconduct and sex trafficking.
The defendants in the suit are Vince McMahon, WWE, and former head of talent relations John Laurinaitis.
Who is Janel Grant?
Before working for WWE, lawsuit documents state that Janel was “dealing with profound grief and struggling financially” at the time she met McMahon.
They also say that prior to 2019, she devoted years to being a full-time caregiver for her parents before they passed away.
Aside from this, very little is known about her early life.
Working for WWE
Janelle worked at WWE from June 2019 to March 2022.
She met McMahon in March 2019 when he was the CEO of the largest wrestling promotion in the world.
McMahon reportedly lived in the same apartment building as Janel, befriended her and promised her a role at WWE.
According to the court documents, Janel was initially offered a job as a “legal administrator-coordinator” with a starting salary of $75,000.
Her role at WWE was not fully defined when she was first hired.
The complaint states that a job description had not been “firmed up beyond a high-level summary” when she was offered the position.
Allegations
In her lawsuit, Grant alleges that McMahon:
- Sexually abused and exploited her
- Trafficked her to other men, including John Laurinaitis
- Coerced her into sexual acts with other WWE employees
- Shared sexually explicit photos and videos of her without consent
Janel claims the abuse occurred frequently on WWE property.
She alleges McMahon’s behavior escalated over time, becoming more degrading and violent.
The lawsuit also involves allegations related to medical treatment Janel received.
She claims McMahon directed her to see Dr Carlon Colker at Peak Wellness clinic starting in November 2019.
Janel alleges she received undisclosed treatments, including pills and IV infusions, and that a Peak Wellness employee was involved in instances of sexual abuse.
While Janel hasn’t spoken about the lawsuit herself, her lawyer Ann Callis made statements on her behalf in an interview and shared a brief quote from her.
Callis said: “She wants her life back, she wants ownership of her story. She wants to help other victims.
“This is relatively close in time, 2019 when this unfolded, 2020, and her hope is to help other victims, if there are other victims, to come forward because she had the courage and the presence of mind to finally get this done and come forward.”
The lawyer added: “What happened to her, and what was alleged, left her physically and mentally absolutely destroyed.
“She is trying to recover and she believes this is the first step. Filing this lawsuit took such tremendous courage from her.”
At the end of an interview, Callis read a brief statement on Janel’s behalf, reading: “She hopes any doors of secrecy have been blown off their hinges and that fresh air fills the headquarters.
“She hopes those at the company, past and present, who fear speaking out about harm is a thing of the past. She wishes everyone peace.”
Janel filed her lawsuit in January 2024, seeking unspecified damages.
In June 2024, Judge Jeffery A. Meyer issued a six-month stay on the lawsuit, pausing proceedings until December 2024.
This stay was issued due to an ongoing federal investigation into the allegations against McMahon.
In July 2024, Janel’s legal team filed a pre-action discovery petition against Dr Colker and Peak Wellness, seeking medical records related to her treatment.
This move was criticized by McMahon’s representatives as violating the court-ordered stay.
In a statement released in January 2024, McMahon said: “I stand by my prior statement that Ms Grant’s lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth”.
He continued: “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.”
In February 2024, Laurinaitis released a statement claiming that he, too, was a victim of McMahon’s alleged sexual misconduct.
His lawyer told Vice: “Read the allegations. Read the Federal Statute. Power, control, employment supervisory capacity, dictatorial sexual demands with repercussions if not met.
“Count how many times in the complaint McMahon exerts control over both of them.”
Ongoing Development
The allegations led to McMahon resigning from all executive positions within WWE.
As of September 2024, Grant’s lawsuit remains ongoing, with further developments expected once the stay is lifted in December.
The case continues to have significant implications for WWE, McMahon, and the broader wrestling industry.
The case has garnered significant media attention and is set to be featured in an upcoming Netflix docuseries about McMahon’s life and career.
Netflix docueries
The Netflix show titled Mr McMahon is set to premiere on September 25, 2024.
Janel’s legal team has emphasized that she is a victim and survivor, not a “WWE storyline”.
They hope the Netflix series will accurately portray her experiences and shed light on the alleged abusive behaviour within WWE.
Impact on Janel
According to her legal representatives, Grant now suffers from severe psychological trauma as a result of the alleged abuse, including:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Suicidal ideation
- Inability to leave her home for extended periods