Vince McMahon, Linda McMahon, WWE, and its parent company TKO Group Holdings have been hit with a new lawsuit filed by five former WWE “ring boys”. The lawsuit alleges that WWE employees, Mel Phillips and Terry Garvin, sexually assaulted these underage employees and that the McMahons were informed about the abuse but chose not to intervene.
Law firm DiCello Levitt of Murphy, Falcon & Murphy issued a written notice emphasizing that the lawsuit is leveled against WWE, the McMahons, and TKO Group Holdings for purportedly condoning the unrestrained abuse of underage boys employed by WWE.
The law firm stated that the lawsuit was launched on behalf of five sexual abuse survivors, known as “Ring Boys”. These underage boys were hired by Melvin Phillips Jr., WWE’s ringside announcer and ring crew chief, to help with miscellaneous duties before WWE wrestling shows.
The lawsuit alleges that Phillips exploited the boys, many of whom were from broken families, for sexual gratication. The abuse reportedly occurred not just at wrestling venues but also in hotel rooms and other locations. It is claimed that despite knowing the abuse was happening, the accused parties did nothing to intervene or prevent it.
The lawyers expressed gratitude to their clients for their courage in confronting those who neglectfully allowed the abuse to continue. The lawsuit claims that the survivors only recently understood the extent of the knowledge the McMahons and WWE had about the abuse, leading to this particular lawsuit.
Promising to uncover the truth about the abuse and to champion justice for their clients, the law firm stressed that the WWE and McMahons had failed in their responsibilities towards their young employees.
The founder and CEO of CHILD USA, a nonprofit organization advocating for children’s rights, called the survivors “profiles in courage”. Emphasizing on the need for statute of limitations reform as a tool in their arsenal against child sex abuse and trafficking, the organization is determined to assist these survivors in seeking justice.
The lawsuit was filed in Baltimore County’s Circuit Court by lawyers from both DiCello Levitt and Murphy, Falcon & Murphy. The focus of DiCello Levitt’s litigation practice includes sexual abuse, discrimination, and exploitation cases including an international lawsuit against disgraced fashion mogul Peter Nygard.
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