TKO Issues Statement On Vince McMahon Sex Trafficking Allegations

TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE and UFC, have today issued a statement following serious allegations made against Vince McMahon. 

A spokesperson for TKO told Variety: "Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE. While this matter predates our TKO executive team's tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant's horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally."

Vince McMahon, the TKO Executive Chairman of the Board, was accused of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and physical and emotional abuse in a lawsuit filed by a former WWE employee. John Laurinaitis and WWE have also been named as defendants in the lawsuit. 

McMahon's future with TKO following the allegations is currently unclear beyond TKO's statement. The 78-year-old was previously forced to resign as WWE CEO and Chairman in the Summer of 2022 after it emerged he had allegedly paid millions of dollars to women to suppress allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity over several years. McMahon also made payments to the Donald Trump Foundation for the 45th President of the United States' appearances on WWE TV in 2007 and 2009.

Investigations from the SEC and federal prosecutors were opened into the payments as they had not been listed in WWE's annual accounts. Those investigations remain ongoing. 

McMahon later forced his way back into WWE in January 2023 and he was elected Executive Chairman. The 78-year-old then worked to sell WWE to Endeavor and WWE merged with UFC into TKO in September 2023.