Vince McMahon, husband of a former Trump official, steps down amid WWE misconduct probe

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that WWE was investigating an alleged $3 million cost from McMahon to a departing feminine worker following a consensual affair.

“I have pledged my complete cooperation to the investigation by the special committee, and I will do everything possible to support the investigation,” McMahon mentioned in a ready assertion Friday. “I have also pledged to accept the findings and outcome of the investigation, whatever they are.”

The worker, employed as a paralegal in 2019, has a separation settlement from January that stops her from discussing her relationship with McMahon or disparaging him, the Journal reported.

The board’s investigation, which began in April, discovered different, older nondisclosure agreements involving claims by former feminine WWE staff of misconduct by McMahon and John Laurinaitis, the top of expertise relations at WWE, the Journal reported.

The WWE can be investigating actions by Laurinaitis.

Outside of the investigation, WWE mentioned Friday that the corporate and its particular committee will work with an unbiased third-party to carry out a complete assessment of the work atmosphere on the group.

Vince McMahon has been the chief and most recognizable face at WWE for many years.

When he bought what was then the World Wrestling Federation, from his father in 1982, wrestling matches came about at small venues and appeared on native cable channels.

WWE matches are actually held in skilled sports activities stadiums it the group has a sizeable abroad following. It has a broadcast partnership with Saudia Arabian media firm MBC Group and performs one to 2 dwell pay-per-view reveals in Saudi Arabia every year.

The group underwent a seismic transformation beneath McMahon with occasions like WrestleMania, a premium dwell manufacturing that pulls tens of millions of fervent viewers.

Revenue final yr exceeded $1 billion for the primary time and the corporate has tv offers with Fox and NBCUniversal. Last month it introduced a multi-year growth of its authentic programming partnership with A&E.

WWE stars have turn out to be crossover sensations, together with Hulk Hogan, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and John Cena.

Stephanie McMahon, who will take over at the very least quickly because the chief of WWE, introduced final month that she was taking a leave of absence from probably the most of her tasks on the group. She had been serving as the corporate’s chief model officer.

Her husband, Paul Levesque, who wrestled beneath the title Triple H, introduced in March that he was retiring from wrestling because of a coronary heart situation. Levesque serves as WWE’s govt vp of technique and growth.

“I have committed to doing everything in my power to help the Special Committee complete its work, including marshaling the cooperation of the entire company to assist in the completion of the investigation and to implement its findings,” she mentioned in a assertion.

Shares of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., primarily based in Stamford, Connecticut, slid 3% Friday.