This might fall on deaf ears and only be read by those who need to read it least, but these are some common questions and misconceptions I see around the legal stories involving WWE and Vince McMahon. Though I’m not a lawyer, I’ve spent as much time as anyone reporting on these specific stories.
Why are WWE and TKO being sued? And isn’t the ring boy lawsuit from decades ago anyway?
Pertaining to the ring boy case, the Maryland Supreme Court recently ruled that their state law legally removes all time limits when it comes to child sex abuse allegations.
TKO is the merged entity of WWE and UFC. Upon merger, TKO inherited all of WWE’s legal liabilities.
In both the Grant lawsuit and the ring boy case, the plaintiffs allege that the company and its executives were negligent in enabling abuse. Though the plaintiffs have to prove their claims in court, that means they’re saying the company had a duty to protect individuals from the kind of harm they say they were subject to, and the company allegedly failed to do so.
Is Vince McMahon going to prison?
At this point Vince McMahon nor anyone else involved in these cases are charged with any crimes. Vince was, and possibly still is, under investigation by federal prosecutors for sexual abuse. However, given the time that’s passed, it seems unlikely he’ll be charged unless significant new information comes to light.
We’re mainly talking about lawsuits here. Lawsuits are civil issues where the plaintiffs mainly seek remedies in the form of payment from defendants. Criminal law is very different from civil law. Criminal defendants who lose in court may be sentenced to jail time.
Vince said “the case is closed” a few weeks ago. Doesn’t that mean these legal issues are over?
Not even close, despite Vince’s statement following his settlement with the SEC over regulatory violations related to his NDA payments. Vince, WWE, and John Laurinaitis are being sued by former WWE employee Janel Grant, who alleges Vince and Laurinaitis committed numerous acts of sexual misconduct and that WWE was negligent in enabling it.
The ring boy lawsuit is still underway, and as mentioned earlier, the Maryland Supreme Court ruling clears one hurdle allowing that case to move forward.
This article was also published for Wrestlenomics subscribers. Signup now on Patreon or Substack to unlock access to paywalled and ad-free reporting and analysis on the business of pro wrestling.
But what about Vince’s connections? Donald Trump is going to get him out of any legal trouble, right?
While Vince’s connections are notable, I dare suggest it’s unlikely that Trump could—or would—get him out of legal trouble directly. Wealthy individuals like Vince and Linda McMahon may have more access to influential figures than ever, but the President leads the executive branch, not the judicial branch. Even taking for granted that Trump is willing to act recklessly or illegally, intervening in a civil lawsuit would carry significant legal and political risks with little personal gain. Given Trump’s unpredictability, maybe nothing can be ruled out, but meddling in a civil lawsuit seems like an unfavorable deal for him, just thinking transactionally.
Although Trump has connections to Vince, Linda’s ties are more substantial—she’s a major donor and is nominated to again serve in Trump’s cabinet. It’s easier to imagine Trump being inclined to support Linda, who’s a defendant in the ring boy case. However, despite their influence, Trump cannot simply make lawsuits disappear without crossing constitutional boundaries that would risk a third impeachment if Democrats take back the House in 2026. I know, one might say that violating the U.S. Constitution is something the Trump administration has been doing on a daily basis since his inauguration. Such interference, though, that would whisk away Vince or Linda’s legal issues, would at least entail a variety of abuse of presidential power that up to this point we haven’t seen yet.
Lastly, if you want to consider partisan politics, you might consider that the judges overseeing the Grant case and the ring boy lawsuit were appointed by Democratic presidents, Joe Biden and Barack Obama, respectively.
But Trump could pardon Vince!
The President does have the power to issue pardons, but presidential pardons apply only to federal criminal offenses. Since Vince isn’t facing any federal criminal charges at this time, a pardon would be irrelevant to his legal situation. Pardons can’t alleviate Vince, Linda, or anyone else from civil liability in lawsuits.
Brandon Thurston has written about wrestling business since 2015. He operates and owns Wrestlenomics.