On Friday, Jan. 26, Vince McMahon resigned from his position as Executive Chairman of the Board from WWE’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings. The resignation came a day after a former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) employee filed a federal lawsuit accusing him and another former executive of sexual misconduct.
McMahon received an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters in 2007 from Sacred Heart University, before delivering the commencement address.
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The Spectrum reviewed the graphic 67-page lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Connecticut by former WWE employee Janel Grant, which accuses Mr. McMahon of sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation, and sex trafficking.
The suit includes allegations that McMahon forced Grant into a sexual relationship in order for her to get and keep a job, and passed around pornographic pictures and videos of her to other men, including other WWE employees.
Grant claims she suffered psychological torture and physical violence as a result of being groomed by McMahon.
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In a statement to Deadline, McMahon denied the accusations, claiming the suit is filled with “lies” and “obscene made-up instances that never occurred.” McMahon expressed his intent to “vigorously” defend himself, and clear his name.
According to the suit, at the start of their relationship, McMahon stated that his marital status with his wife, Linda McMahon, was “only an agreement on paper, for business purposes.”
The suit claims, in January 2022, McMahon told Grant that his wife had found out about their relationship. In an attempt to avoid divorce and negative publicity, he pressured Grant to sign an NDA in exchange for payments.
Vince McMahon is married to Sacred Heart University Trustee, Linda McMahon.
From 2004 to 2017, she served as Board of Trustee Vice Chair before stepping down to serve in the Trump Cabinet as Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
In 2019, Mrs. McMahon left the Trump administration to serve as chair of the America First Action SuperPAC and America First Policy LLC., supporting the reelection campaign of President Trump. In 2021, Mrs. McMahon returned to the SHU Board of Trustees, where she was most recently honored at the 2023 Pioneer Gala.
The Linda E. McMahon Student Commons was dedicated in her honor, following a $5 million donation to Sacred Heart, housing a fourth floor dining hall, “Linda’s.”
In a statement to the Spectrum, Sacred Heart University said, “We were disappointed to learn of the allegations against Vince McMahon. Honorary degrees are awarded (and would thereby be rescinded) by the University’s Board of Trustees, on the recommendations of the University’s standing honorary degree committee and the mission and culture committee of the Board of Trustees. Those committees have not met since the news of the lawsuit against Mr. McMahon broke, nor has there been any discussion about rescinding his degree at this point.”
The statement continued, “We would be unfair to evaluate Mrs. McMahon on the alleged actions of her husband, so we would not rename the Linda E. McMahon Student Commons or Linda’s nor ask her to step down from the Board of Trustees based on this lawsuit. Linda has been a longtime supporter of Sacred Heart and a valued member of our Board. We look forward to working with her well into the future.”
The lawsuit seeks to void the nondisclosure agreement under the Speak Out Act, which prevents the enforcement of nondisclosure agreements in instances of sexual assault and harassment. Grant is also seeking unspecified amounts in compensatory and punitive damages.
There is currently no record of Vince McMahon delivering the 2007 commencement address, or receiving an honorary doctorate on the Sacred Heart University website.
