STAMFORD, Conn. — Wrestling icon Vince McMahon resigned Friday from WWE’s mum or dad firm the day after a former worker filed a federal lawsuit accusing him and one other former government of significant sexual misconduct, together with providing her to a star wrestler for intercourse.

McMahon stepped down from the his place as government chairman of the board of administrators at WWE’s mum or dad firm, TKO Group Holdings, in keeping with a press release launched late Friday. He continued to disclaim wrongdoing following the lawsuit filed by Janel Grant, who labored within the firm’s authorized and expertise departments.

The go well with contains allegations that McMahon, now 78, compelled Grant right into a sexual relationship to ensure that her to get and maintain a job and handed round pornographic footage and movies of her to different males, together with different WWE workers.

The AP sometimes doesn’t identify accusers in sexual assault circumstances, however Grant’s representatives stated she wished to go public. Her lawyer declined to remark Friday.

McMahon’s assertion stated that he was leaving the board “out of respect” for WWE and TKO Group.

“I stand by my prior statement that Ms. Grant’s lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth,” he stated within the assertion. “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.”

McMahon stepped down as WWE’s CEO in 2022 amid an investigation into allegations that match these within the lawsuit, which was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, the place WWE is predicated.

McMahon was the chief and most recognizable face at WWE for many years. When he bought what was then the World Wrestling Federation from his father in 1982, wrestling matches happened at small venues and appeared on native cable channels. WWE matches at the moment are held in skilled sports activities stadiums, and the group has a large abroad following.

WWE merged final April with the corporate that runs Ultimate Fighting Championship to create the $21.4 billion sports activities leisure firm TKO Group Holdings, and McMahon served as that group’s government chairman of the board till Friday.

TKO Group’s consultant referred media inquiries about McMahon’s resignation to his assertion. Deadline first reported that he was stepping down.

“Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE,” TKO Group stated earlier this week. “While this matter pre-dates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally.”

Grant additionally names as defendants within the lawsuit the WWE and John Laurinaitis, an ex-pro wrestler and the corporate’s former head of expertise relations and basic supervisor. WWE and Laurinaitis didn’t return requests for remark Friday.

According to the lawsuit, McMahon lived in the identical constructing as Grant and in 2019 provided to get her a job at WWE after her mother and father died.

She alleges that he finally made it clear that one of many necessities of the job was a bodily relationship with him and later with Laurinaitis and others.

Over the subsequent few years, McMahon lavished her with items together with a luxurious automobile, the go well with says.

It additionally alleges that McMahon provided one in all his star wrestlers — an individual not named within the lawsuit — intercourse with Grant as a perk in 2021.

“WWE benefited financially from the commercial sex act venture orchestrated by McMahon, including by having wrestling talent, such as WWE Superstar, sign new contracts with WWE after McMahon presented Plaintiff as a sexual commodity for their use,” the lawsuit states.

Grant is searching for unspecified financial damages and to have the court docket void a $3 million nondisclosure settlement, of which she alleges she acquired solely $1 million.

“Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized,” her legal professional, Ann Callis, stated in a press release Thursday. “The organization is well aware of Mr. McMahon’s history of depraved behavior, and it’s time that they take responsibility for the misconduct of its leadership.”