John Laurinaitis is no longer one of the defendants in the Janel Grant lawsuit that was initially filed against himself, Vince McMahon and the WWE.
Update: After the news broke regarding Laurinaitis, McMahon’s attorney Jessica Rosenberg issued the following statement in response:
“Today’s dismissal of John Laurinaitis as a defendant doesn’t alter the facts of this case in any way. Vince McMahon never mistreated Janel Grant. No matter how many press releases her team issues, the truth remains unchanged. As Mr. Laurinaitis’s lawyer previously said: ‘Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant’s allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded.’”
Original story: According to a new filing on Wednesday, May 28, former Head of Talent Relations Laurinaitis has been removed as a defendant in the ongoing case while McMahon and WWE remain as defendants. In a statement provided to POST Wrestling, Laurinaitis has agreed to provide evidence in the Janel Grant lawsuit as part of a confidential settlement:
“John Laurinaitis has agreed to cooperate and provide evidence in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE. His agreement to a confidential settlement is a pivotal next step toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking. Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life. We cannot provide any additional details at this time.”
An additional statement issued to Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling also confirms that Laurinaitis has been dismissed from the case with prejudice, which means that Grant will not revisit the claims against him:
“Plaintiff Janel Grant hereby stipulates with Defendant John Laurinaitis that the above-entitled action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice, against Defendant John Laurinaitis.”
John Laurinaitis No Longer Defendant In Ongoing Case
Back in January 2024, Grant filed the lawsuit against Vince McMahon, Laurinaitis and the WWE, accusing McMahon of sexual abuse and trafficking, which ultimately led to McMahon resigning from WWE as Chairman of the Board. Laurinaitis was implicated in the allegations and was also accused of sexual assault. Following the filing of the lawsuit, Laurinaitis initially claimed that he was also a victim of McMahon before siding with the chairman and joining the other defending parties in filing for arbitration.
An amended lawsuit by Grant was approved earlier in the month, which provided more details on the allegations and accused WWE of being negligent.
No statements from McMahon or WWE have been made at this time.
Featured image: WWE
