JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There have finally been developments in former WWE owner Vince McMahon’s legal saga. Last week the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) determined McMahon failed to disclose hush money payments to two women.
McMahon has to pay back $1.3 million to WWE and a $400,000 civil penalty.
McMahon posted this on X following the news coming out.
— Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) January 10, 2025
But this SEC decision does not end McMahon’s legal woes.
The U.S. Department of Justice has not announced they’ve ended their investigation into the former WWE boss.
He’s also still being sued by a former WWE employee named Janel Grant, who alleges multiple things against McMahon including sex trafficking. Going Ringside has covered this case extensively here, here, here and here.
Now the question that comes up is what happens after President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House next week.
Going Ringside has detailed Trump’s decades-long relationship with McMahon and spoken to McMahon’s estranged wife Linda. Linda McMahon has been tapped by Trump to be the next Secretary of Education.
In this episode, we will discuss the Vince McMahon case with a veteran defense attorney and dig deep into the question of whether Trump can make McMahon’s legal troubles go away by running the Department of Justice.
There has been some reporting by CNBC that sources close to the DOJ indicate McMahon’s legal investigation is over but there has been no announcement from the DOJ.
But the attorney for McMahon’s accuser, Ann Callis, did say the Southern District of New York (with the U.S. Attorney’s Office) is still investigating: “While prosecutors for the Southern District of New York continue their criminal investigation, we look forward to bringing forward new evidence in our civil case about the sexual exploitation Ms. Grant endured at WWE by Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis.”
News4JAX’s Scott Johnson shares interviews and insights on professional wrestling and its impact on Jacksonville.
Going Ringside/News4JAX has reached out to the DOJ for comment.
We will also be joined on this episode by Desiree Joson with the Shoots & Ladders Podcast to look at whether McMahon could somehow return to pro wrestling.
We’ll also analyze what could happen in wrestling with his children Stephanie and Shane.
