The lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis and WWE is set to resume after being paused for 6 months.
Back in January, Grant accused Vince McMahon of sexual assault and trafficking as part of the lawsuit filed, which ultimately led to McMahon resigning from the company. Laurinatis has also been named as part of the lawsuit. Both men deny the allegations.
In June, a request from the U.S. Department of Justice was issued to place the Vince McMahon lawsuit in a 6-month order of stay so that their own federal investigation could be carried out, which was granted by Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer. On Wednesday, December 11th, the Southern District of New York allowed the stay to expire while the investigation continues.
It should be noted that as reported by Brandon Thurston of Post Wrestling, the “legal filings confirming this development haven’t yet appeared in public court records, and the defendants haven’t responded publicly.”
Janel Grant’s Team Comments On Vince McMahon Lawsuit Resuming
In response to the update, Grant’s team issued a response via press release:
Today, the United States Southern District for New York informed us that they will be letting the stay expire on Janel Grant’s lawsuit against former WWE CEO Vince McMahon, WWE executive John Laurinaitis, and WWE for sexual assault and human trafficking. This decision allows Ms. Grant to proceed with her civil charges against McMahon, Laurinaitis, and WWE while federal prosecutors continue their criminal investigation.
Grant’s attorney Ann Callis also provided a statement as part of the press release:
“We are pleased that prosecutors for the Southern District of New York have concluded that they can continue their criminal investigation while we bring forward new evidence in our civil case about the sexual exploitation carried out by Janel Grant’s abusers. For the last six months, Ms. Grant has patiently waited to hold Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE accountable for the sex trafficking and abuse she endured at the company on a near daily basis. Her wait is over, and we now look forward to sharing Ms. Grant’s story.”
Despite the lawsuit being placed in an order of stay for the past 6 months, new updates have emerged regarding the ongoing case. Over the summer, Grant’s team petitioned to request information from the Peak Wellness Clinic and Dr. Carlon Colker. Grant petitioned for information from the clinic that she visited numerous times under the orders of McMahon, alleging that she was administered multiple treatments without being informed of the contents or dosage.