Sex trafficking case goes private
Vince McMahon, WWE, and Janel Grant jointly pursue private arbitration in sex trafficking lawsuit
Anonymous
Key Points
1
The joint motion’s stated purpose wasn’t only to pause arbitration arguments—it also sought to adjourn a hearing that would address “Defendants’ Motions to Compel Arbitration” and Grant’s “Renewed Motion for Leave to Serve Motion-Related Discovery,” with the parties proposing to file a “Joint Status Report within 21 days.”
2
Courts “rarely reject” motions when all parties jointly request the same relief, according to reporting on the filing.
3
Grant’s prior opposition to arbitration included a detailed account of her lack of memory of the arbitration clause; she previously told the court, “I have no memories of the arbitration clause… I do not recall either Vince or my attorney making revisions to it… I was in an extreme state of distress, sleep deprivation, and fear… including during the drafting of the arbitration provision… I do not recall agreeing to arbitrate.”
4
Although multiple outlets summarized the shift toward arbitration, reporting also emphasized that the joint filing did not clarify why Grant changed course—one report noted that “the filing does not explain a reason for Grant’s change in position,” and that her attorney did not immediately respond to a comment request.
Janel Grant, Vince McMahon, and WWE have jointly asked a Connecticut federal judge to pause a June 16, 2026 hearing and move Grant's sex-trafficking lawsuit into private, confidential arbitration, according to WrestleTalk. The sudden shift is striking — Grant spent two years fighting arbitration, arguing she signed the 2022 nondisclosure agreement under duress and had no memory of agreeing to it.
If Judge Sarah F. Russell approves the joint motion, the case will leave the public court record entirely, according to eWrestling News. That means evidence Grant's team gathered — including hundreds of alleged text messages — could stay sealed from the public forever.
Grant's Two-Year Fight Against Arbitration Now Reversed
Grant filed her federal lawsuit in January 2024, alleging McMahon sexually assaulted and trafficked her during her time as a WWE employee. She accused McMahon of coercing her into a $3 million hush-money deal in 2022 that included a mandatory arbitration clause, according to Ringside News. She said he only partially paid that amount, which triggered the lawsuit.
Grant previously told the court she had no recollection of agreeing to arbitrate. "I have no memories of the arbitration clause," she said in a prior filing. "I was in an extreme state of distress, sleep deprivation, and fear... I do not recall agreeing to arbitrate." Her April 2026 opposition to arbitration cited the Speak Out Act, a 2022 federal law that bars courts from enforcing NDAs in sexual assault cases, according to ITR Wrestling.
Joint Filing Offers No Explanation for Grant's Turnaround
The joint motion asks the court to adjourn the June 16 hearing and give the parties 21 days to file a status report while they pursue a confidential arbitration deal, according to Wrestling Inc. The filing says the arrangement would "avoid unnecessarily consuming the Court's and the parties' resources."
Notably, the filing does not explain why Grant changed course, according to ITR Wrestling. Her attorney did not respond to comment requests. Legal analyst Brandon Thurston noted that courts "rarely reject" motions when all parties jointly request the same relief, making approval by Judge Russell likely.
Laurinaitis Deal May Have Given Grant New Leverage
One possible explanation for the shift: John Laurinaitis, originally a co-defendant, was dropped from the suit after agreeing to cooperate and provide evidence against McMahon, according to Head Topics. That cooperation could have given Grant enough leverage to force a large settlement, making a public trial less necessary.
Industry veteran Eric Bischoff argued the move benefits McMahon strategically. "Arbitration means no jury," Bischoff said on his podcast. "You've got a judge. It's procedural. If I'm looking at it from a strategic point of view, I would think I'm going to be better off with a judge than I am with a jury." McMahon has consistently denied the allegations, calling the 2022 relationship consensual.
Advocates Fear Private Deal Sets a Dangerous Precedent
Victim advocates warn that a quiet arbitration resolution in such a high-profile case could discourage other survivors from seeking public trials against powerful figures, according to Wrestling Inc. The Speak Out Act was designed specifically to prevent companies from using NDAs to bury sexual assault claims — but it applies to court enforcement, not voluntary arbitration agreements.
The case also touches a separate shareholder lawsuit, in which WWE investors are seeking between $446 million and $949 million in damages. They argue the TKO merger undervalued WWE because of "McMahon baggage," and that stockholders should have received at least 52.8% equity instead of the 49% they got, according to reporting on the litigation. Judge Russell has not yet ruled on the adjournment request.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
17
Articles
7
Reach
24
A
AnonymousAuthor
