Vince McMahonis facing yet another lawsuit — this time, the former WWE honcho is being accused of ignoring claims of sexual abuse made by former employees known as “Ring Boys.”The docs were filed in Baltimore County Wednesday … with Vince’s wife, Linda McMahon, WWE and its ownership, TKO Group, also named in the lawsuit.In the suit …. it alleges Melvin Phillips Jr. — who served as the ring crew chief and ringside announcer — hired underaged boys to assist the crew with errands and tasks for wrestling shows.
It claims the boys were sometimes as young as 12 and 13 years old … and Phillips’ real motivation in hiring them “was to sexually abuse them” after promising access to popular WWE events.The law firm representing the accusers says he targeted children from broken homes … and these incidents occurred in wrestling venues, hotel rooms and “in plain sight.”Phillips died in 2012.While he is not accused of taking part in the actions, the suit states McMahon and the defendants knowingly allowed Phillips to exploit his position within the company to “groom and abuse Ring Boys” — which sometimes occurred in front of wrestlers and other company executives.
“Thanks to the bravery of our clients, we finally have a chance to hold accountable those who allowed and enabled the open, rampant sexual abuse of these young boys,” Greg Gutzler, a partner at DiCello Levitt, said in a press release.The firm says the FBI identified at least 10 individuals assaulted by Phillips, but believes there are more out there who have remained silent.“That so many were aware of the sexual abuse of the ring boys and did nothing to prevent or stop it is simply unconscionable.”McMahon resigned from WWE in January 2024 following allegations made by former employee Janel Grant, who accused him and former exec. John Laurinaitis of sexual misconduct. He denied the allegations.
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