New lawsuit from 5 former "Ring Boys" say Vince McMahon, Linda McMahon, & WWE knew about sexual abuse

(TW: sexual abuse of minors)

On Wednesday, a new lawsuit was filed against Vince McMahon, Linda McMahon, WWE, and its parent company, TKO Holdings. The lawsuit is on behalf of five survivors of the “Ring Boys”, who were underage when they were hired by WWE’s former ring announcer and ring crew chief, Mel Phillips.  They say they were sexually abused by Phillips. He died in 2012.

A press release from law firm DiCello Levitt and Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, highlights that the boys were from broken homes when they were preyed upon by Phillips. It goes on to say that the assaults occurred not just at wrestling venues but at hotel rooms and other locations in plain sight. The press release goes on to  say that the defendants were “fully aware of the systemic and pervasive abuse and did nothing to prevent or stop it.” Previously, the FBI identified ten boys who were victims, but it is believed that there were many more. 

Greg Gutzler is a partner at DiCello Levitt and is the lead litigator on this case. He stated "Thanks to the bravery of our clients, we finally have a chance to hold accountable those who allowed and enabled the open, rampant sexual abuse of these young boys. "That so many were aware of the sexual abuse of the Ring Boys and did nothing to prevent or stop it is simply unconscionable.” 

The press release also says that due  to the “Mr. McMahon” docuseries, Janel Grant’s lawsuit, TKO acquiring WWE, and Vince’s resignation from the company, the John Does were enlightened by the “depth of knowledge that the McMahons and the WWE had about what happened to them and that sexual abuse in the company started at the top with the McMahons.” This information, along with recent changes in sex abuse laws has allowed them to pursue justice via a new lawsuit. 

Mark DiCello is a founder of DiCello Levitt. He stated, "The WWE and McMahons had a responsibility to these underaged boys, and they failed them in the worst way possible. We will vigorously fight to uncover the truth about this systemic, insidious, and life-altering abuse. We commend our clients for their bravery in coming forward and promise to relentlessly seek justice for them."

CHILD USA is a leading non-profit think tank fighting to preserve and strengthen children’s rights. Founder and CEO, Professor Marci Hamilton said, “These survivors are profiles in courage. One-third of child sex abuse victims never come forward, because the shame, humiliation, trauma, and physical and psychological injuries silence them." 

Phillips was given “free rein”

Earlier this year, a former ring boy called “Shawn” came forward with his experience. He was a guest on Lee Cole’s podcast; Lee is the brother of the late Tom Cole, one of the first “Ring Boys” to go public with his story.  “Shawn” said he was in high school and living in a foster home when he met Phillips. He said he’d travel from Philadelphia to Baltimore or New York with Phillips. They’d stay in hotels where Phillips would only wear underwear or just underwear and a tee shirt while trying to wrestle him. It is unclear if he is part of this lawsuit. 

Phillips worked for WWE from the 1970s to the early 1990s. According to the filing, he used his position to lure young boys, sometimes as young as 12 and 13 years of age. They would run errands and do other tasks for the ring crew. The lawsuit states that Vince knew about the abuse as early as the ‘80s because he admitted that Phillips had a “peculiar and unnatural interest” in young boys. 

The filing also says that the defendants “knowingly gave Phillips free rein to use his highly public WWE personality and image to entice local kids from the area near the WWE shows to help set up and take down the wrestling ring.” Phillips' modus operandi was to use WWE titles and memorabilia to lure boys from broken homes to come to work with him. He promised them they could attend shows and meet wrestlers. 

At some venues, Phillips was given his own dressing room where he would use his expensive video camera to film his abuse. The lawsuit points out that at the time, it was very uncommon for people to own their own video cameras. 

Phillips was fired in 1988 following more allegations of sexual abuse. Just six weeks later, the McMahons rehired him on “the condition that he steer clear of kids.” The lawsuit said that Phillips resumed abusing children when he was rehired. In 1992, WWE was under federal investigation on allegations of the sexual abuse of minors and the illegal transportation of minors across state lines. The investigation focused on Phillips, Pat Patterson, and Terry Garvin. Patterson and Garvin both held high-level positions and were in McMahon’s inner circle.

In 1993, the FBI was in possession of a videotape that is “believed to show Phillips's unusual foot fetish.” The lawsuit includes some redacted information from an FBI report that reads, “Phillips lying with (redacted) foot in crotch area for an extended period of time. All victims have stated that Phillips plays with their feet for extended periods between 1/2 hour to 2 hours in duration. NY has subpoenaed Phillips to Grand Jury but was told by prosecutors he will take the 5th Amendment."

The report says that "the activity with the boys' feet is most likely sexual behavior", but it didn't show conclusive behavior and could have "alternative explanations." The victims weren’t willing to “admit or describe the sexual nature of their activity with Phillips.” The lawsuit provided evidence that WWE had the tape the year prior. 

The filing says that Linda admitted during a TV interview in 1993 that Phillips had a foot fetish. It became a running joke, which she claimed had been blown out of proportion. A year prior when Tom Cole threatened a lawsuit, he was invited to a private meeting with the McMahons and former WWE counsel, Jerry McDevitt. In private, Linda reportedly told Cole that she thought “there was something wrong with Phillips and Garvin.”  

‘Nothing goes on in the WWF without the full knowledge of Vince McMahon’ 

There are photos (with faces blurred out) of some of the boys with Phillips featured throughout the lawsuit. The lawsuit also uses various quotes from high-profile wrestlers such as Bruno Sammartino, “Superstar” Billy Graham, Tito Santana, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, and the late Sid Vicious. In an interview on Larry King Live, Sammartino stated that sexual harassment and abuse were common knowledge within the industry. He specifically named Phillips as someone who was known to sexually abuse children. 

During the 1992 investigation, transcripts from an attorney speaking with Graham on the phone show that Vince knows everything that goes on within WWE. “The reason I believe he knew about all the sexual activities is because I believe he has tendencies himself, and Mel Phillips has been with him for 15 years…and nothing goes on in the World Wrestling Federation without the full knowledge and consent of Vince McMahon, nothing.” Graham goes on to describe Vince as a “rude dictator” and said was nicknamed “Caesar” because “he’s such a ruler and a dictator.” 

Another quote from Graham paints a different picture than the Linda that fans saw on TV. “She may look like a Sunday school teacher. Linda McMahon’s hands are as bloody as her husband’s because she is aware of every move in the ring.” 

Five new John Does share their experiences in new filing

According to the filing, in the early 80s, the boys were often taken to dinner by Phillips and sometimes paid for their ring crew work when he dropped them off after abusing them. The filing cites he would sometimes take them for ice cream. After one horrific night, John Doe 1 is said to have been paid $200. After the first time he met with Phillips, John Doe 1 reportedly told Phillips he'd need to speak to his mom before going with him again.

The filing mentions the ages of the accusors, stating that John Does 1 and 2 were just 13 years old when Phillips began to abuse them. According to the documentation, he would start by “accidentally” touching them and it would escalate to manipulating their toes until they screamed, Phillips licking their feet, “wrestling” them while naked or barely clothed, and touching or fondling them. Phillips reportedly would force them to be naked or only wear underwear. According to the filing, Phillips attempted to rape John Doe 1. After that, the filing states he became afraid of Phillips and cut off contact. The filing states he was abused approximately 7 or 8 times in a 12-18 month period. John Doe 2 describes witnessing several boys being abused by Phillips in the filing. 

According to the filing, John Doe 3 was 14 years old when Phillips offered to take him to meet wrestlers. Phillips reportedly sexually abused him in nearly all of their encounters. After attending several shows with Phillips, John Doe 3 stated a wrestler cautioned him to be careful around Phillips. 

The filing reports that John Doe 4 was also 14 when he encountered Phillips driving around his Philadelphia neighborhood. A person listed as “Confidential Witness #1” was a sibling of one of John Doe 4’s friends. In the filing she recalls seeing Phillips driving up and down their street, watching them play, and showing them WWE belts he kept in his car. She reportedly witnessed the boys getting in the car with Phillips and returning drunk.

According to the filing, John Doe 4 said he was given alcohol and he vomited in the hotel. Phillips reportedly went with him in the shower to clean up where the abuse occurred.

According to the filing, John Doe 4 and other underage boys were forced to “wrestle” Phillips at venues. Phillips would reportedly bend their limbs, twist and pull their toes, pin them on the ground, and touch their buttocks and groin area. Phillips reportedly would put their feet on his genitals and vice versa. These incidents are said to have occurred in Patterson's full view.

The report states that John Doe 5 was 15 when he met Phillips. Phillips frequently drove up their street, picked them up, and drove them around. He reportedly took them to WWE shows at the Nassau Coliseum. He also reportedly took him to a show in Landover, Maryland. Following the event, John Doe 5 and other minors were reportedly given alcohol and taken to a hotel.

Vince’s attorney, Jessica Rosenburg released the following statement to Brandon Thurston: 

“More than 30 years ago, the columnist Phil Mushnick tried to make headlines with these same false claims. Those allegations were never proven and ultimately became the subject of a defamation lawsuit against Mr. Mushnick. “The negligence claims against Mr. McMahon that were asserted today rely on these same absurd, defamatory, and utterly meritless statements by Mr. Mushnick. We will vigorously defend Mr. McMahon and are confident the court will find that these claims are untrue and unfounded.”

Ann Callis, attorney for Janel Grant, also released a statement:

“The allegations in the ‘ring boys’ lawsuit against WWE are deeply troubling. Vince McMahon made sexual abuse and human trafficking a hallmark of WWE’s culture for decades. Survivors like Janel Grant and other former WWE employees deserve their day in court. All former WWE employees who experienced sexual abuse and harassment should be allowed to tell the truth by having their non-disclosure agreements waived. Ms. Grant stands by all WWE survivors and believes that Mr. McMahon, WWE, and all involved parties must be held accountable.”

The lawsuit makes it clear that since each John Doe was a minor, they could not legally consent to engage in sexual behavior. They also make it clear that Vince and Linda McMahon knew or should have known about the harassment and abuse due to it "being a systemic problem within WWE."