WWE star ‘threatened’ to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend
Warning: this content may be disturbing for some viewers.
- WWE accused of covering up 2006 rape
- Friend: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape
- WWE denies involvement, ever being informed
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(NewsNation) — Former WWE star Ashley Massaro died by suicide in 2019 after accusing company co-founder Vince McMahon of covering up an alleged rape that took place on a military base in 2006.
WWE denied ever being informed.
Massaro’s lifelong friend Cara Pipia spoke out exclusively on “Banfield” about Massaro’s allegations.
Pipia said Massaro “spent hours” sobbing in her arms after the alleged rape.
Massaro “knows it was multiple (rapes), at least two or three times. She was in and out of consciousness, trying desperately to stay awake. She couldn’t,” Pipia said.
Pipia also said that the WWE “threatened” Massaro to keep quiet once she made the allegations.
Federal authorities are currently investigating sexual assault and sexual trafficking allegations against McMahon.
According to a 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.
Earlier this month, 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.