OAN Staff Blake Wolf
11:07am – Thursday, October 24, 2024
Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon and WWE itself are facing a new lawsuit stemming from a ring announcer's alleged sexual abuse of five “ring boys” in the 1980s. .
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The lawsuit was filed by five unidentified men, all of whom went by the nickname “John Does,” and named WWE, TKO Group Holdings, and Vince and Linda McMahon as defendants. Linda is McMahon's wife, and the two first married in 1966.
Mel Phillips, who died in 2012, is accused of being the sexual abuser in the case. The McMahons are accused of being aware of Mr Phillips' “unusual and unnatural interest” in the boy, without stopping the sexual abuse allegations.
The plaintiffs allege that the abuse took place at wrestling events, hotels and other venues, and that Phillips “seduced and manipulated” the boys into sequestering them while promising to meet their favorite wrestling stars. There is.
The boys, sometimes as young as 12 and 13 years old, are said to have been hired to help with various jobs, such as helping run wrestling shows, but the lawsuit alleges that Phillips brought the boys in for real. He claims that the purpose was “sexual abuse.” they. “
The complaint also alleges that Phillips filmed his abuse of underage boys in his dressing room, and that the abuse sometimes took place in front of company executives and wrestlers.
The law firm DiCello, Levitt & Murphy, Falcon & Murphy said, “Underage ring boys were groomed, exploited, and sexually abused by Phillips.Phillips targeted children from broken homes.'' I did,” he said.
“Thanks to our client's extraordinary courage, we now have the opportunity to hold WWE and its leaders Vince and Linda McMahon accountable over the past 40-plus years for enabling the rampant abuse of young boys. We did it,” Greg said. Mr. Gutzler, partner of DiCello Levitt.
Mr. McMahon is said to have fired Mr. Phillips in 1988 after related allegations about the announcer's conduct surfaced. But they rehired him six weeks later on the condition that he “stay away from his children.” “He did not do that,” the lawsuit continues. [stop the abuse]and they [McMahon and WWE] I knew that. ”
The lawsuit was aided by information released regarding an entirely separate lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janelle Grant, who accused McMahon of sexual misconduct.
Mr. McMahon has previously denied allegations about Mr. Grant's lawsuit, saying, “I have previously stated that Mr. Grant's case is full of lies, far-fetched and salacious fabrications, and is a persistent distortion of the truth.'' I support the statement.”
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