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.
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76-year-old McMahon is married to Linda McMahon, who also co-founded the company.
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.
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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.
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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