Vince McMahon is being investigated by the WWE board over alleged hush payments he made to an ex-employee following an affair.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the WWE chief executive coughed up US$3million of his own money after the person-in-question penned a nondisclosure agreement to keep quiet about what went on.
It's understood the separation agreement was signed in January 2022, but the WWE's probe into the matter has also dug up a series of other signed settlements relating to misconduct claims from female employees down the years.
76-year-old McMahon is married to Linda McMahon, who also co-founded the company.
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Reports from the Wall Street Journal claim the board found out about the secret pact after receiving a bunch of emails in March from an anonymous source claiming to be a friend of the person-in-question.
The emails allege that McMahon hired the woman as a paralegal on a $100,000 annual salary but later increased her pay packet to $200,000 following their sexual relationship.
The WWE's head of talent relations John Laurinaitis was also mentioned in the emails.
According to one note, McMahon "gave her like a toy" to Laurinaitis.
"My friend was so scared, so she quit after Vince McMahon and lawyer Jerry (McDevitt) paid her millions of dollars to shut up," one of the emails read.
McMahon is yet to comment, although a spokesperson from the WWE told the Wall Street Journal that the chief executive's relationship with the woman was consensual.
An inquiry is still underway.
Topics: Australia, WWE, Vince McMahon
Max Sherry