The legal battle against World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon has taken a significant turn as more individuals have joined the lawsuit alleging horrific sexual abuse during their time with the company. This development follows the Maryland Supreme Court's recent decision to uphold the Child Victims Act, effectively eliminating the statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases in the state and paving the way for this lawsuit to proceed.
Originally filed in October on behalf of five men, the lawsuit accuses former WWE announcer Mel Phillips of sexually abusing them when they were underage "ring boys." These individuals allege that Phillips, who preyed on vulnerable children from broken homes, groomed, exploited, and sexually assaulted them not only at wrestling venues but also in hotel rooms and other locations. Crucially, the lawsuit claims that WWE management, including Vince and Linda McMahon, were fully aware of this "systemic and pervasive abuse" yet failed to take any action to protect these young boys.
Now, according to a press release from law firm DiCello Levitt, the lawsuit has expanded to include even more plaintiffs. This surge in individuals coming forward underscores the potential scale of the alleged abuse and intensifies the scrutiny on WWE's past practices.
The press release highlights the deeply disturbing nature of the allegations: "The underaged Ring Boys were groomed, exploited, and sexually abused by Phillips, who targeted children from broken homes. His sexual assaults occurred not only at the wrestling venues, but also in hotel rooms and other locations where Phillips would shuttle the boys in plain sight.
Defendants were aware of the systemic and pervasive abuse but did not prevent or stop it. The FBI previously identified at least 10 Ring Boys abused by Phillips, but there are likely countless others who have suffered in silence for decades."
This chilling description paints a picture of a predatory environment where young, vulnerable individuals were allegedly subjected to repeated abuse, while those in positions of power at WWE allegedly turned a blind eye. The addition of new plaintiffs suggests that the number of victims could be far greater than initially known, potentially reaching into the "countless others" alluded to in the press release.
