WWE McMahon Reportedly Pays $12M as Hush Money

More details about WWE Chairman Vince McMahon's scandals related to hush money were revealed on Friday by the Walls Street Journal.

The newspaper reported that McMahon made "hush money" payments of $12 million to four female employees at the company who signed agreements of remaining silent on allegations of sexual allegations.

The report of the WSJ said that the payments took place over 16 years, including $7.5 million to a former WWE superstar for having a relationship with him, shortly, he demoted the WWE superstar and allowed her contract to expire. In 2018, the payment was negotiated between both sides.

Moreover, WWE Chairman agreed to pay about $1 million in 2008 as a settlement for a WWE employee who accused the chairman of sexual harassment in the workplace.

In addition, McMahon is also alleged to have paid $1 million to a former manager who had a relationship with him.

Last month, Vince McMahon, the CEO of the world-famed wrestling entertainment promotion WWE, stepped down from his position, and his daughter, Stepanie McMahon, will step into as an interim CEO for the end of the ongoing investigations.

The statement said: “WWE and the Board of Directors today announced that a Special Committee of the Board is conducting an investigation into alleged misconduct by its Chairman and CEO Vincent McMahon and John Laurinaitis, head of talent relations, and that, effective immediately, McMahon has voluntarily stepped back from his responsibilities as CEO and Chairman of the Board until the conclusion of the investigation.”

However, the statement asserted that the WWE’s head will continue his roles in the creative content, asserting: “McMahon will retain his role and responsibilities related to WWE’s creative content during this period and remains committed to cooperating with the review underway.”

On her side, the interim chairwoman said: “I love this company and am committed to working with the Independent Directors to strengthen our culture and our Company; it is extremely important to me that we have a safe and collaborative workplace. I have committed to doing everything in my power to help the Special Committee complete its work, including marshalling the cooperation of the entire company to assist in the completion of the investigation and to implement its findings.”

The current investigations started recently due to the payment of $3 million-hush money by the WWE’s president to a former employee who had an affair with him.

Wall Street Journal shook the world wrestling scene by posting the full story about the investigation. The report added that Vince McMahon allegedly doubled the salary of the former employee from $100,000 to $200,000 at the beginning of their affair before passing it like “a toy” to the WWE’s head of talent relations John Laurinaitis.

It also stated that this employee signed a hush agreement by $3 million before she was released from the company.