WWE Shareholder Lawsuit Update Reveals What Vince McMahon Is Resisting Turning Over
Vince McMahon is resisting producing documents related to sexual misconduct allegations as part of the ongoing WWE shareholder lawsuit, according to a new motion.
The suit was filed in November 2023 in Delaware's Court of Chancery, led by the Laborers' District Council and Contractors' Pension Fund of Ohio, alleging that McMahon predetermined the process that led to WWE's merger with UFC under Endeavor to become TKO.
It's claimed in the complaint that McMahon favored a deal with Endeavor because other potential buyers were unwilling to retain him due to the allegations against him. The case is now in the discovery process, with the plaintiffs seeking non-privileged materials from January 1, 2022, through March 12, 2024.
However, a public version of a motion from April 29 was recently filed this week, as reported by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, wherein the plaintiffs asked the court to compel McMahon to respond to discovery requests related to "Sexual Misconduct Topics," including allegations of sexual misconduct, non-disclosure payments, and investigations. It's argued that these materials are relevant to McMahon's motivations for regaining control of the board in January 2023 and leading the company into its merger.
The new filing states that McMahon has declined to produce documents on those topics unless they explicitly discuss the merger or involve certain executives, and has improperly excluded key internal communications such as messages reflecting McMahon's thought process when allegations emerged against him in 2022, and communications with directors he removed from the board.
It's stated that the plaintiffs are not seeking to "re-litigate the merits of the underlying Sexual Misconduct Allegations or assess the rigor of any investigation. Rather, Plaintiffs are focused on obtaining discovery about how the Sexual Misconduct Topics impacted McMahon's motivations and decision-making."
McMahon has until May 14 to oppose the motion.