On Wednesday, Janel Grant’s team filed a Stipulation for Dismissal with Prejudice against John Laurinaitis in relation to her lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE. The dismissal was filed in the United States District Court in the District of Connecticut. The action was voluntarily dismissed. Grant is not dismissing any claims against McMahon or WWE.
The former Head of Talent Relations will cooperate with attorneys for Grant in her lawsuit against McMahon and WWE. Dismissing the case “with prejudice” means that Grant will not revisit claims against Laurinaitis.
I received a joint statement from Janel Grant’s team along with John Laurinaitis’s team regarding his cooperation with Grant in her lawsuit against Vince McMahon & WWE. pic.twitter.com/NHcYi7wgZF
— Sam (@Samantha_1713) May 28, 2025
A joint statement from representatives from Grant and Laurinaitis states: “John Laurinaitis has agreed to cooperate and provide evidence in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE. His agreement to a confidential settlement is a pivotal next step toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking. Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life. We cannot provide any additional details at this time.”
Earlier this month, Judge Sarah F. Russell accepted Grant’s amended lawsuit. The lawsuit included additional details about the abuse she says she endured. Russell also granted motions by the defendants to stay discovery in the case. Prior to the dismissal, the defendants had until June 13 to refile motions to compel arbitration. Grant would then have until July 11 to file an opposition in response.
When Grant filed her original lawsuit in January 2024, Laurinaitis claimed to also be a “victim in this case, not a predator.” Around the time of the lawsuit, Laurinaitis was fired by WWE. That May, he suddenly changed his tune when he filed a motion to join McMahon in seeking arbitration. At the time, his representative released a statement that said in part, “Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant’s allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded. My client will fight these false allegations together with Mr. McMahon in the proper forum, arbitration.”
In a statement to B.J. Bethel of SEScoops, McMahon’s attorney, Jessica T. Rosenberg, said “Today’s dismissal of John Laurinaitis as a defendant doesn’t alter the facts of this case in any way,” Rosenberg said. “Vince McMahon never mistreated Janel Grant. No matter how many press releases her team issues, the truth remains unchanged. As Mr. Laurinaitis’s lawyer previously said: ‘Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant’s allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded.’”
McMahon and WWE are also facing a lawsuit filed by former WWE “Ring Boys”. Earlier this month, three more “Ring Boys” were added to the lawsuit. In 2023, WWE shareholders filed a lawsuit against McMahon in relation to the sale of WWE to Endeavor and the formation of TKO Holdings. TKO Holdings along with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon are also named in the “Ring Boys” lawsuit.