Former WWE star: McMahon refused to report rape decades ago
- Former WWE employee filed 67-page federal lawsuit last week
- Complaint alleges executive sexually exploited, attempted to traffic her
- Massaro's attorney: She alleged 'widespread abuse of labor practices'
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(NewsNation) — Ashley Massaro’s name has been brought up again after recent sexual assault allegations against WWE co-founder Vince McMahon.
Massaro is a former WWE female wrestler who alleged the organization covered up the fact she was sexually assaulted while on a military base in 2007. Her allegations were made public after she died by suicide in 2019, but WWE denied ever being informed.
Konstantine Kyros, who was the attorney for Massaro, told NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield the former WWE wrestler was “alleging a widespread abuse of exploitative labor practices.”
“We were arguing that it was a totally unregulated workplace. And she had put that into a submission that was required by a federal judge in Connecticut. And it was an affidavit sworn under the penalties of perjury given to a federal judge.” Kyros said Friday on “Banfield.”
Kyros said the military didn’t launch an investigation at the time because “effectively, the issue was covered up.”
Federal authorities are now investigating sexual assault and sexual trafficking allegations against McMahon.
According to the federal lawsuit, Janel Grant, who worked at the company’s headquarters, alleged that McMahon sexually exploited her and attempted to traffic her to other WWE employees.
Last week, McMahon resigned as executive chairman of WWE parent TKO Group after the former employee filed a 67-page federal lawsuit.
Grant’s attorney says his stepping down isn’t enough.
“It’s been a long process, and she (Grant) wants to speak out for any other victims and eradicate this culture of corruption that has permeated every cell of the WWE,” Grant’s attorney, Ann Callis, told NewsNation’s Markie Martin on “Morning in America.”
Callis said that since Grant is going up against a multibillion-dollar company and very powerful men, they wanted to lay out all the “facts” to even the playing field. In the filing, Grant cited more than 300 allegations of sexual abuse.
NewsNation’s Cassie Buchman contributed to this report.