Report: $5 Million In Unrecorded Vince McMahon Payments Possibly Linked To Donald Trump

WWE announced this week in an SEC filing that the company had discovered another $5 million in unrecorded payments made by Vince McMahon in 2007 and 2009. This only added to the $14.6 million in unrecorded expenses that had already been discovered in relation to hush money and sexual misconduct allegations surrounding the former WWE CEO and Chairman. 

It was assumed by many that the new payments were also related to the hush money allegations but that might not be the case. 

Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics noted the funds are more likely to be connected to Donald Trump and the Donald J. Trump Foundation. IRS filings noted that WWE spent exactly $5 million in contributions to the foundation in 2007 and 2009, with $4 million being donated in 2007 and a further $1 million was sent two years later. WWE are recorded as the payees of the funds but a WWE spokesperson noted back in October 2012 that the money came directly from Vince McMahon.  

Donald Trump made appearances on WWE TV in 2007 and 2009, first being involved in the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23 before he later bought and sold Monday Night Raw. It had been rumoured that the payments were Trump's appearance fees but a WWE spokesperson claimed in 2016 that was not the case. 

Trump and the McMahon family have been friends going back to the 1980s when Trump's arenas in Atlantic City hosted WrestleMania IV and V. Linda McMahon was also a part of Trump's cabinet from 2017 until 2019 while he was President of the United States. She continues to lead a Super PAC in support of Trump. 

Vince McMahon was ultimately forced into retirement on July 22 following the hush money and sexual misconduct allegations. WWE's new leadership team consists of Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and Nick Khan.