We have some more details to report from today’s Wall Street Journal report about Vince McMahon. Former WWF referee Rita Chatterton is seeking $11.75 million in damages and legal incursions, all stemming from her past sexual assault allegations against McMahon. Chatterton previously accused McMahon of sexually assaulting her in 1986.
The report notes that the former WWE Chairman and CEO is facing legal demands from two women, both of whom allege that McMahon assaulted them. The legal demands came from internal documents and people familiar with the legal negotiations.
A lawyer for Chatterton, John Clune, asked for $11.75 million in damages in a legal demand letter that was dated November 3rd and sent to McMahon’s representative. McMahon has long denied Chatterton’s allegations.
Clune’s legal demand letter said the damages to Ms. Chatterton from the alleged assault were “hard to overstate.” Also, the letter wrote that Chatterton, “has suffered years of ongoing depression, substance abuse, disordered eating, lost income, and overall a decreased quality of life.”
WWE Hall of Famer and former wrestler Greg Valentine admitted to the Journal that Ms. Chatterton revealed her allegations to them when they were sharing a marijuana cigarette in a Marriott hotel parking lot in Albany, New York in the 1980s. Valentine said at the time, or now, that he didn’t believe Ms. Chatterton’s claims because he didn’t think “she was attractive enough for Mr. McMahon.”
Additionally, an attorney for a former spa manager is claiming that McMahon assaulted his client in 2011 at a California resort. The assault was said to have been reported at the time to the resort. Also, the alleged victim’s husband was told about the alleged assault and is said to have attempted to confront McMahon at a WWE live event, but he was turned away. The alleged victim’s lawyer, Michael Bressler, is said to have been in touch with Mr. McMahon’s attorney since July.
McMahon himself has reportedly said he refuses to pay the settlements to Ms. Chatterton and the spa manager. WWE’s auditor, Deloitte & Touche LLP, advised WWE that any resolutions of the legal demands, even if they are confidential, would have to be publicly disclosed by the company.
Vince McMahon retired as Chairman and CEO of WWE in July. He remains the majority owner and stockholder of the company. He retired amid an investigation into his alleged sexual misconduct and hush money payments to former WWE employees. The investigation reportedly cost the WWE $19.4 million.
