Report: John Laurinaitis Expected To Be Replaced As WWE Head Of Talent Relations

John Laurinaitis is expected to be replaced as WWE Head of Talent Relations amidst a WWE board investigation into a $3 million hush payment made by Vince McMahon to a former employee the WWE Chairman had an alleged sexual relationship with. 

A settlement signed in January 2022 stops the former employee from discussing her relationship with McMahon and from disparaging him. The settlement came to light following a series of anonymous emails sent from March 30, with one of the allegations being that McMahon "gave her like a toy" to John Laurinaitis once she began a sexual relationship with the WWE Chairman. 

In recent days, the WWE board investigation has uncovered other older nondisclosure agreements which included misconduct allegations against McMahon and Laurinaitis from former female WWE employees. 

In an update from Fightful Select, they reported that sources expect "John Laurinaitis to be replaced before all is said and done, and one speculated that he's being set up as the 'latest fall guy for Vince, his turn in line was coming.'" A former office employee in WWE also believes the allegations will cause a "domino effect." McMahon will fight to remain WWE Chairman but they could not foresee a situation where Laurinaitis does not resign. 

A male talent active in the 2000s and 2010s also noted there had long been rumours of Laurinatis' alleged misconduct, while a former writer stated it was an "open suspicion" in the mid-2000s.

A female talent also said about Laurinaitis: "I'd rather get all my s**t sent to me in a trash bag when I get fired than have to deal with him, and neither are good options." 

In regards to the former WWE employee McMahon had an alleged sexual relationship with, she was initially hired as a paralegal but became Laurinaitis' assistant in 2021. That isn't all, though, as Fightful reported she was promoted to a "director" role around the time of WWE's April 2021 cuts. It was also noted that many in the company suspected McMahon was having a sexual relationship with the former employee.