WWE’s Vince McMahon Paid $12 Million in Hush Money to Women Reveals Report

World Wrestling Entertainment’s Vince McMahon paid $12 million in hush money over a period of 16 years to suppress allegations of sexual misconduct and affairs, according to a Friday report from the Wall Street Journal.

News of the massive figure comes after McMahon stepped down from his CEO role last month with the company amidst allegations of such payments, including $3 million to a paralegal he’d had an affair with. Despite stepping down from his leadership position, McMahon retained his role and responsibilities related to WWE’s creative content” while an investigation was conducted.

McMahon has been married to Linda McMahon, a former official in the Donald Trump administration, since 1966. Trump and Vince McMahon also have a previous relationship, Trump previously making WWE appearances and “shoving” McMahon over a table during one appearance. During his time building the WWE brand, he’s often put himself front and center, participating in matches and storylines himself, earning nicknames like “Mac Daddy.”

According to the Journal report, which cites people “familiar” with the various cases, four women formerly with the company were paid millions in agreements that “prohibit them from discussing potential legal claims against or their relationships with the 76-year-old executive.”

The Journal also provided a breakdown of the four women who were paid by McMahon, which include a wrestler who was “coerced” into giving McMahon oral sex, only to be demoted and for her contract to expire in 2005 after she refused further sexual encounters with the man.

WWE is investigating the originally reported $3 million payment, as well as the alleged incident with the former wrestler, the Journal reported.

WWE executive John Laurinaitis, a former wrestler known as Johnny Ace, is also being investigated for a relationship with the same paralegal McMahon allegedly paid, as well as misconduct allegations from a separate employee stemming from 2012. Laurinaitis is on administrative leave at the moment, the paper said.

In a statement released last month, McMahon said he is cooperating fully with the investigations into him and will accept the results.

“I have pledged my complete cooperation to the investigation by the Special Committee, and I will do everything possible to support the investigation,” he said. “I have also pledged to accept the findings and outcome of the investigation, whatever they are.”

You can read the full Wall Street Journal report here.