WWE Board Investigating Vince McMahon For $3 Million Hush Money Payment Over Secret Affair

Vince McMahon reportedly paid hush money to a former employee.

Vincent Kennedy McMahon is no stranger to controversy and his name is once again in the headlines. It is being reported that Vince McMahon had an affair with a former employee and paid her to keep the relationship quiet, yet the news is now out there.

According to a new report from there Wall Street Journal, they are reporting that WWE’s Board of Directors are investigating an alleged affair Vince McMahon had with a former employee. The report states that McMahon agreed to pay the employee $3 million to keep the affair a secret.

The January 2022 separation agreement bars the now-former employee, who was hired as a paralegal in 2019, from discussing her relationship with Mr. McMahon or disparaging him.

The report notes that an investigation into these claims began back in April. That also is when other older nondisclosure agreements involving claims by former female WWE employees of misconduct by Mr. McMahon and John Laurinaitis, WWE’s head of talent relations. Yet the report did not know how many older previous agreements were being “scrutinized.”

The board’s eight independent directors have retained New York-based law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP to conduct the investigation.

Another thing to note is that lawyer Jerry McDivett did note how WWE did not make any payments here regarding these claims. The report noted that McMahon used his own personal money here. It was noted that an initial $1 million was paid with the other $2 million to be paid over the next five years.

Board members reportedly learned of the $3 million agreement in a series of anonymous emails they received from someone who said the former WWE paralegal was a friend.

The first email received, was sent to board members on March 30th and alleged that McMahon initially hired the women with a salary of $100,000 and upped it to $200,000 when things started to become sexual with the relationship. The email also noted how Mr. McMahon “gave her like a toy” to Mr. Laurinaitis. The former employee who started as a paralegal with the company did move to become Laurinaitis’ assistant in 2021.

“My friend was so scared so she quit after Vince McMahon and lawyer Jerry paid her millions of dollars to shut up,” the initial email to the board said, referring to Mr. McMahon’s longtime lawyer, Mr. McDevitt, who negotiated the deal, according to people familiar with the board inquiry.

Board of directors reportedly received a copy of the $3 million agreement on June 12th from one of McMahon’s lawyers.

Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis were asked to turn over complaints or allegations about any relationships the executives may have had with company employees as well. Speaking of McMahon and Laurinaitis, neither responded to a request for comment from The Wall Street Journal.

In a letter to The Wall Street Journal, Mr. McMahon’s attorney, Jerry McDevitt, said that the former paralegal hadn’t made any claims of harassment against Mr. McMahon and that “WWE did not pay any monies” to the ex-employee “on her departure.”