A recent lawsuit has brought to light allegations against Linda McMahon, who has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Education. The lawsuit claims that McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), knowingly allowed an employee to sexually exploit children as early as the 1980s.
McMahon, who co-founded WWE with her husband Vince, led the company through a period of significant growth and transformation into a publicly traded media empire. Despite stepping down in 2009 to pursue a political career, McMahon's ties to WWE have come under scrutiny as she seeks confirmation as Education secretary.
The lawsuit specifically targets McMahon, her husband, WWE, and TKO Group Holdings, alleging that they permitted employee Melvin Phillips Jr. to use his role as a ringside announcer to sexually exploit children. Phillips reportedly recruited young boys to work as 'Ring Boys,' a position that involved assisting with setting up and dismantling wrestling rings at WWE events.
According to the lawsuit, Phillips abused his authority by sexually exploiting these children, sometimes in the presence of wrestlers and executives in the locker room. The filing further claims that Phillips would film these acts of abuse, causing lasting mental and emotional harm to the victims, who were between the ages of 13 and 15 at the time.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of five John Does in Baltimore County, Maryland, sheds light on disturbing allegations that raise questions about child safety practices within WWE during McMahon's tenure. While McMahon denies the allegations, the lawsuit underscores the importance of thorough investigations and accountability in cases of child exploitation.
