Editor’s note: This story contains alleged accounts of sexual assault. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or at https://www.rainn.org.
Nearly seven months after taking over as co-CEO of WWE following the retirement of her father, Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon announced her resignation from the role on Tuesday.
Vince McMahon announced last week that he would be returning to the company and electing himself to the WWE board of directors. His departure came amid an ongoing sexual misconduct scandal. McMahon has since been unanimously voted by the board to be its executive chairman, per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
“I cannot put into words how proud I am to have led what I consider to be the greatest company in the world … ,” Stephanie wrote in a statement. “I am confident WWE is in the perfect place to continue to provide unparalleled creative content and drive maximum value for shareholders.”
Vince McMahon originally retired from WWE in July after the Wall Street Journal revealed that he paid more than $12 million to four women over the past 16 years in an attempt to silence allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity. Among the alleged victims were a former WWE paralegal, whom McMahon reportedly had a secret affair with, a former wrestler and two other former employees. The Journal reported in December that McMahon is now facing new allegations from two women over similar claims.
The first claim is from a former California spa manager who said McMahon assaulted her in 2011. The woman’s lawyer detailed the allegations to McMahon’s lawyer, Jerry McDevitt, in November, the same month that McDevitt received a demand letter from an attorney representing ex-WWE referee Rita Chatterton with a second claim. Chatterton is seeking $11.75 million in damages stemming from a 1992 television interview where she said McMahon raped her in the back of a limousine, per the Journal.
Following McMahon’s departure, Stephanie led the company alongside her husband, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, as well as WWE CEO Nick Khan.
