Vince McMahon’s Lawyer Responds to John Laurinaitis Settlement in Trafficking Case

Vince McMahon’s legal team isn’t backing down after former WWE executive John Laurinaitis was officially removed as a defendant in Janel Grant’s sex trafficking lawsuit.

Laurinaitis, who reached a confidential settlement and agreed to provide evidence in the case, was dismissed via a new court filing submitted on Wednesday — but McMahon’s camp insists it changes nothing.

In an update issued to Ringside News, McMahon’s attorney Jessica Rosenberg responded to the development with a pointed statement, rejecting any suggestion that the Laurinaitis settlement strengthens the case against her client.

“Today’s dismissal of John Laurinaitis as a defendant doesn’t alter the facts of this case in any way. Vince McMahon never mistreated Janel Grant. No matter how many press releases her team issues, the truth remains unchanged.”

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Rosenberg went even further, referencing a previous public position from Laurinaitis’ own lawyer:

“As Mr. Laurinaitis’s lawyer previously said: ‘Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant’s allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded.’”

While Laurinaitis has stepped away from the case as a co-defendant, he has agreed to cooperate and supply evidence against both McMahon and WWE, according to a joint statement released through Grant’s legal team earlier this week. That agreement was described as a “pivotal next step toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable.”

Grant’s amended lawsuit, approved by a judge earlier this month, claims she was sexually trafficked by Vince McMahon and assaulted by both men during her time working at WWE. The lawsuit also alleges WWE failed to protect her. Laurinaitis’ removal from the case does not affect the amended claims still standing against McMahon and the company.

McMahon and WWE are expected to file motions by June 13 to push the case into private arbitration, arguing that a $3 million nondisclosure agreement Grant signed prevents public litigation. Until then, Grant can continue pursuing discovery related to the arbitration clause itself.

John Laurinaitis may be out legally, but the heat around Vince McMahon is far from cooling off — and now his legal team is on full defense mode.