Vince McMahon Investigation: WWE’s Probe Of Alleged Affair Threatens Chairman’s Throne

SportsMoney Vince McMahon Investigation: WWE’s Probe Of Alleged Affair Threatens Chairman’s Throne Alfred Konuwa Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I write about men in tights and the money they make for men in suits. New! Follow this author to improve your content experience.

Got it! Jun 16, 2022, 09:00am EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Vince McMahon is under investigation by WWE’s Board of Directors amid an alleged affair. Credit: WWE WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is being investigated by WWE’s Board of Directors stemming from an alleged “hush pact” in the form of a $3 million settlement from McMahon to an ex-employee. The bombshell report from the Wall Street Journal (h/t Wrestling Inc ) alleges the 76-year-old McMahon was involved in an affair with a 41-year-old paralegal.

The paralegal was reportedly paid a $100,000 increase after the affair begun, and before McMahon “ gave her like a toy ” to WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis. The employee in question later served as an assistant to Laurinaitis, who many feel could be in a Tom Wambsgans role as a likely scapegoat. During a year where backstage pro wrestling storylines across both WWE and AEW have trumped the television product in terms of intrigue, the Wall Street Journal broke the news of the biggest 2022 scandal to date.

Allegations of sexual misconduct have taken down one mogul after another during an era of female empowerment coinciding with the fall of countless male-dominated dynasties. Shane McMahon, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon have all seen their power wane this past year—for one reason or another. Suddenly, Vince McMahon feels like a sitting duck as fans continue to push the Twitter narrative of Nick Khan’s Succession- like rise to power at the expense of the McMahon family.

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The WSJ report noted that the funds came from Vince McMahon’s personal account, and WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt added “ WWE did not pay any monies ” to the former employee. Surprisingly, WWE’s stock soared almost 6%, closing at $68. 73 amid a recent spring surge.

Though WWE’s stock increase coincided with the ongoing Vince McMahon scandal, it’s most likely tied to Ben Swinburne of Morgan Stanley MS raising the price target from $60 to $75. The Federal Reserve raising the interest rate 0. 75 percent to combat inflation could also be connected to a rise in WWE’s share price.

With this potentially cataclysmic story in its embryonic stages, WWE must at least consider life after Vince McMahon. There has been no clear-cut public succession plan by WWE, and the presumed heirs apparent—Stephanie McMahon and Triple H—have never felt further down the WWE totem pole than in 2022. In fact, Stephanie McMahon’s departure comes with curious timing in hindsight.

It’s possible she saw this storm on the horizon, and as the Chief Branding Officer and face of the company, she wanted no part of publicly navigating such a private family matter. How this investigation ends is anybody’s guess. What bodes well for Vince McMahon is this is a WWE investigation, and as long as it is determined no WWE funds were used during an alleged “hush pact,” there’s a good chance he lands on his feet yet again.

Though this is not the first major scandal to threaten Vince McMahon’s unquestioned rule over WWE’s empire, it comes during a time where cancel culture is alive and insatiable. As a powerful, old, white male who personifies the establishment, McMahon represents the ideal target for a downfall in 2022. When it comes to scandals, however, history is on Vince’s side.

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