Latest news with #RingBoys
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WWE facing another major lawsuit as infamous 'Ring Boys' scandal case allowed to proceed
The 'Ring Boys' lawsuit being brought against the WWE and its co-founders, President Donald Trump's Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon and her husband Vince McMahon, is set to resume. The civil lawsuit, which claims the McMahons knowingly enabled the sexual exploitation of children by a longtime WWW employee, was subject to a temporary pause in the Maryland Supreme Court's ruling over the Child Victims Act. On Monday, justices voted four-three to preserve the act, eliminating the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse to sue their alleged abusers. The McMahon family denies all allegations. The court's decision comes as Linda McMahon awaits her Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Education. Trump, who wants to dismantle the Department of Education, recently claimed McMahon should eventually 'put herself out of a job.' It means the lawsuit filed in Baltimore County on October 23 on behalf of five anonymous ex-ring boys, young employees tasked with building the wrestling ring before events, accusing the McMahons and the WWE of negligence for allegedly fostering a culture of sexual abuse can go ahead. DiCello Levitt, the law firm representing the victims, said additional ex-ring boys have since joined the suit, according to Fox Sports. Per the complaint, the WWE co-founders looked the other way for years after allegedly learning of a longtime ringside announcer preying on minors. Melvin Phillips, who died in 2012, is accused of targeting boys – as young as 12 or 13 years old – from disadvantaged backgrounds and hiring them to help with the preparations for wrestling matches, according to the filing. The lawsuit alleges that between the late 1980s and early 1990s, Phillips would assault the ring boys in his dressing room, hotels and the wrestlers' locker room. Because of his death, Phillips is not among the named defendants. Instead, the complaint targets the WWE, its co-founders and parent company TKO Holdings. 'That so many were aware of the sexual abuse of the Ring Boys and did nothing to prevent or stop it is simply unconscionable,' Greg Gutzler, an attorney from DiCello Levitt who represents the five unnamed plaintiffs, told The Independent in October. McMahon's attorney Laura Brevetti told CNN in November that the the ring boy lawsuit is 'baseless'. 'Ms. McMahon will vigorously defend against this baseless lawsuit and without doubt ultimately succeed,' Brevetti said. Another blockbuster lawsuit against the WWE and Vince McMahon by former employee Janel Grant also advanced in recent days after it was amended to include the name of a former WWE champion Brock Lesnar. In the 104-page lawsuit, Grant now alleges that she was offered to Lesnar 'for a sexual encounter' during his contract negotiations with the WWE. In addition, Grant alleges that she was told to send sexual content to the former WWE champion. The lawsuit was submitted to the U.S. District Court in Connecticut. Grant alleges that the WWE was negligent in allowing McMahon's behavior to go on unchecked. One of the men previously named in the lawsuit, John Laurinaitis, claims that he too was a victim of McMahon. Another WWE legend, Michael Hayes, is also named in the new filing with Grant alleging that McMahon told her to make pornographic content for him. At the time, Hayes worked as part of the wrestling company's creative team. The Independent has contacted the WWE and Brevetti, Linda McMahon's lawyer, for more information.
The Independent
05-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
WWE facing another major lawsuit as infamous 'Ring Boys' scandal case allowed to proceed
The 'Ring Boys' lawsuit being brought against the WWE and its co-founders, President Donald Trump 's Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon and her husband Vince McMahon, is set to resume. The civil lawsuit, which claims the McMahons knowingly enabled the sexual exploitation of children by a longtime WWW employee, was subject to a temporary pause in the Maryland Supreme Court's ruling over the Child Victims Act. On Monday, justices voted four-three to preserve the act, eliminating the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse to sue their alleged abusers. The McMahon family denies all allegations. The court's decision comes as Linda McMahon awaits her Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Education. Trump, who wants to dismantle the Department of Education, recently claimed McMahon should eventually 'put herself out of a job.' It means the lawsuit filed in Baltimore County on October 23 on behalf of five anonymous ex-ring boys, young employees tasked with building the wrestling ring before events, accusing the McMahons and the WWE of negligence for allegedly fostering a culture of sexual abuse can go ahead. DiCello Levitt, the law firm representing the victims, said additional ex-ring boys have since joined the suit, according to Fox Sports. Per the complaint, the WWE co-founders looked the other way for years after allegedly learning of a longtime ringside announcer preying on minors. Melvin Phillips, who died in 2012, is accused of targeting boys – as young as 12 or 13 years old – from disadvantaged backgrounds and hiring them to help with the preparations for wrestling matches, according to the filing. The lawsuit alleges that between the late 1980s and early 1990s, Phillips would assault the ring boys in his dressing room, hotels and the wrestlers' locker room. Because of his death, Phillips is not among the named defendants. Instead, the complaint targets the WWE, its co-founders and parent company TKO Holdings. 'That so many were aware of the sexual abuse of the Ring Boys and did nothing to prevent or stop it is simply unconscionable,' Greg Gutzler, an attorney from DiCello Levitt who represents the five unnamed plaintiffs, told The Independent in October. McMahon's attorney Laura Brevetti told CNN in November that the the ring boy lawsuit is 'baseless'. 'Ms. McMahon will vigorously defend against this baseless lawsuit and without doubt ultimately succeed,' Brevetti said. Another blockbuster lawsuit against the WWE and Vince McMahon by former employee Janel Grant also advanced in recent days after it was amended to include the name of a former WWE champion Brock Lesnar. In the 104-page lawsuit, Grant now alleges that she was offered to Lesnar 'for a sexual encounter' during his contract negotiations with the WWE. In addition, Grant alleges that she was told to send sexual content to the former WWE champion. The lawsuit was submitted to the U.S. District Court in Connecticut. Grant alleges that the WWE was negligent in allowing McMahon's behavior to go on unchecked. One of the men previously named in the lawsuit, John Laurinaitis, claims that he too was a victim of McMahon. Another WWE legend, Michael Hayes, is also named in the new filing with Grant alleging that McMahon told her to make pornographic content for him. At the time, Hayes worked as part of the wrestling company's creative team. The Independent has contacted the WWE and Brevetti, Linda McMahon's lawyer, for more information.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
Additional Plaintiffs Join Ring Boys Lawsuit Against WWE, Vince And Linda McMahon
There has been a new update in the ring boys lawsuit against WWE, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon. As previously reported, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled that the Child Victims Act was constitutional. This allowed the ring boys lawsuit against WWE, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon to continue. The suit was filed on behalf of five individuals who previously worked for WWE, and they alleged that they were sexually abused by former announcer Mel Phillips during their time in WWE, and the company knew and did nothing to stop or prevent it. 'In an update, DiCello Levitt issued a press release about the continuation of the lawsuit and noted that additional plaintiffs have been added to it. (H/t POST Wrestling) The underaged Ring Boys were groomed, exploited, and sexually abused by Phillips, who targeted children from broken homes. His sexual assaults occurred not only at the wrestling venues, but also in hotel rooms and other locations where Phillips would shuttle the boys in plain sight. Defendants were aware of the systemic and pervasive abuse but did not prevent or stop it. The FBI previously identified at least 10 Ring Boys abused by Phillips, but there are likely countless others who have suffered in silence for decades. Since the lawsuit was filed in October, additional survivors have come forward to seek justice and accountability for what happened to them. Monday's decision allows the case to proceed.' McMahon's attorney previously said the lawsuit was 'baseless' and claimed that it was 'filled with scurrilous lies, exaggerations, and misrepresentations.' POST Wrestling also shared a statement from the plaintiffs' lawyer Greg Gutzler, who commented on the Maryland Supreme Court's decision. 'The Maryland Supreme Court's decision upholding the Maryland Child Victims Act, effectively eliminating any statute of limitations on child sex abuse lawsuits, is the right one, and we hope other states will follow Maryland's lead,' said DiCello Levitt Partner Greg Gutzler who is leading the lawsuit against the WWE, McMahons, and TKO. 'Survivors of sexual assault, especially children, often do not come forward for years or even decades after the abuse occurred. This delayed disclosure happens for numerous reasons—shame, fear, or manipulation—and it has too often prevented survivors from ever seeking justice and getting accountability. It also has allowed perpetrators to continue hurting countless innocent people.' 'My clients' lives were destroyed by the defendants who allowed and enabled the open, rampant sexual abuse to occur for years. The abuse inflicted on my clients was inexcusable; they were mere children and had the right to expect that WWE executives would take action to protect them from the predators working within the WWE. We will bring light to their truth and fight for accountability and justice.' WrestleZone will provide more information as it becomes available. The post Additional Plaintiffs Join Ring Boys Lawsuit Against WWE, Vince And Linda McMahon appeared first on Wrestlezone.
