Vince McMahon Allegedly Paid $3MM to Cover Up Alleged Affair

WWE CEO/Chairman Vince McMahon is being investigated by the company's board for allegedly paying $3 million to a former employee to cover up an alleged affair he had with her, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

Per the WSJ, the WWE board of directors learned of the allegation through an e-mail sent from a friend of the female to whom McMahon allegedly paid hush money.

The first email, sent to board members on March 30, alleged that Mr. McMahon, 76 years old, initially hired the woman at a salary of $100,000 but increased it to $200,000 after beginning a sexual relationship with her. The email to the board also alleged that Mr. McMahon “gave her like a toy” to Mr. Laurinaitis. The board is investigating the allegations in the email, the people familiar with the inquiry said.
Wall Street Journal - WWE Board Probes Secret Hush Pact

John Laurinaitis is the head of talent relations at WWE and one of McMahon's most trusted friends according to the WWE website.

Included on the 12-member board of directors is McMahon himself, as well as his daughter Stephanie McMahon, and son-in-law Paul Levesque (also known by his wrestling name Triple H), though none of them are part of the probe.

Man Jit Singh is the lead independent director. He is running the inquiry into the allegations.

Photo by Will Ragozzino/Getty Images

According to the WSJ, McMahon's lawyer sent the media outlet a letter saying the former employee, a paralegal, never made harassment claims and was not paid monies following her departure from WWE, adding that the relationship was consensual.

Another notable aspect of the WSJ story is the unveiling of older NDA claims of impropriety against McMahon.

We will continue to monitor this story if more details emerge.

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Source: Vince McMahon Allegedly Paid $3 Million to Former Employee to Cover Up Alleged Affair

Filed Under: vince mcmahon, wwe

Categories: National Sports