Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon revealed as being named in lawsuit against Vince McMahon, WWE
In January, Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE for a multitude of charges including sexual abuse and sex trafficking. In that lawsuit, Grant named four "WWE Corporate Officers" who were either aware or suspected an inappropriate relationship with McMahon.
On Monday, Tim Marchman, John Pollock, and Brandon Thurston revealed the identites of all four people via Front Office Sports. WWE president Nick Khan and WWE COO Brad Blum were revealed as Corporate Officers No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. The other two Corporate Officers are Stephanie McMahon and former head of WWE's legal department, Brian Nurse.
Khan and Blum are alleged to have covered up McMahon's relationship with Grant, but are not accused of sexual misconduct or abuse. Front Office Sports reinterates that their actions "make WWE liable under federal anti-trafficking laws."
A statement from a WWE spokesperson said "WWE takes Ms. Grant’s allegations very seriously and has no tolerance for any physical abuse or unwanted physical contact. Neither Nick Khan nor Brad Blum, prior to the lawsuit being filed on January 25, 2024, were aware of any allegation by Ms. Grant that she was the victim of abuse or unwanted physical contact; nor does the complaint allege that either had knowledge of such.”
Front Office Sports indepentendly identified all four corporate officers via public information and sources familiar with WWE. Grant's lawyer, Ann Callis, confirmed "that these names are correct."
According to the lawsuit, Grant met with Blum at McMahon's request in 2019. She was offered a job in the legal department. She did little work and was paid $75,000 annually. Early in her tenure, Grant ran into Khan in a corridor. Upon introducing herself, he informed her that he knew exactly who she way. McMahon told her later that same day that he told Khan and Blum about the nature of their relationship.
Blum informed McMahon of rumors about the latter's relationship with Grant. In 2020, Grant was moved to talent relations, where she would report to Laurinaitis. In the lawsuit, Grant alleges that she was forced into a sexual relationship with Laurinaitis after already being coerced into a sexual relationship with McMahon.
While attending a meeting with other executves, Grant says in the lawsuit that Stephanie motioned her to sit near her. In the lawsuit, it also states that Stephanie was aware "of other instances of McMahon engaging in inappropriate sexual misconduct."
In 2022, Stephanie was the company's chief brand officers. Three months after Grant signed an NDA, she took a leave of absence. Following the board's investigation of her father due to mulitple payments to former employees and other women, which also involved NDAs and his resignation, Stephanie was named interim CEO and chairwoman. Upon Vince's return by force, Stephanie resigned from WWE.
In addition to being the former head of WWE's legal department, Nurse was general counsel. Nurse offered Grant a job in 2019, although she was never onboarded or given clear duties. In the lawsuit, Grant says that Nurse was cold to her, but warm with everyone else in their department. She says other staff noticed his demeanor towards her. The suit also says that Nurse told at least one executive that he suspected a sexual relationship between Grant and Vince.
Neither Stephanie or Nurse responded to Front Office Sports for comment. A WWE spokesperon would not comment on why Nurse left the company.
If any of the four corporate officers knew of Vince's inappopriate relationship with Grant, they are complicit. Given the latest information, it seems that both Khan and Blum not only knew of their relationship, but helped to conceal it. All four people need to be investigated to find out who knew what and when.
What lengths did they go to in order to protect McMahon? Even if they didn't know about the sexual misconduct and trafficking, they played a role in protecting McMahon and allowing his behavior to continue. The helped to reinforce his behavior, especially because the abuse was occuring inside WWE offices while Grant and Vince were working.
A full investigation must be conducted to see how deep this behavior goes. Mulitple women have been harmed while being employed by Vince McMahon. There's been at least one woman who was not an employee that he assaulted and another was groped.
Several people in Vince's inner circle are still employed by WWE. As long as they are there, Vince has the ability to be involved, regardless of how many times TKO says that Vince is no longer invovled in the company. We thought that before and he forced his way back in. Even Ronda Rousey said that Bruce Prichard acted as "an avatar" on Vince's behalf.
In addition to the women and the NDAs, other stories have come back into focus. Former WWE Diva, Ashley Massaro, alleged she was sexually assaulted while on tour with WWE for Tribute to the Troops in 2009. She was assualted by someone who identifed themselves as an Army doctor. Prior to her death, she revealed that WWE covered up the alleged rape. In 2019, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Air Force Special Office of Investigations investigated her claim.
In late February, a former WWE ring boy came forward about being sexually abused by former ring announcer Mel Phillips. He is not the first former ring boy to come forward about being sexually abused by Philips, and WWE wrestlers and executives, Terry Garvin and Pat Patterson.
There has been a culture of secrecy, sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, and rape for decades. It's time for everything to be exposed so that survivors can heal, stories can be told, and the business can be cleaned up.