Maryland court allows suit over abuse dating back 40 years; Education Secretary Linda McMahon named as defendant

Vince McMahon as WWE chairman in 2009. [Getty Images]
Vince McMahon as WWE chairman in 2009. [Getty Images]

A US federal court has rejected an attempt by Vince McMahon, the 81-year-old former chairman of WWE, to have a civil lawsuit over alleged sexual abuse of minors dismissed.

US District Judge James Bredar of Maryland denied motions to dismiss filed by WWE, its parent company TKO Group and McMahon, according to POST Wrestling and other US professional wrestling outlets Tuesday.

The case stems from allegations by minors who worked at WWF — WWE's predecessor — during the 1980s and 1990s, setting up rings and assisting at events, that they were sexually abused.

Seven male plaintiffs allege they were abused by Mel Phillips, who served as a ring announcer and on-site supervisor for WWF at the time. All three managers named as perpetrators are deceased.

The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in October 2024, arguing that WWE management knew or should have known about the abuse and failed to take appropriate steps to stop it. The defendants have denied the allegations.

Central to the legal dispute was the constitutionality of Maryland's Child Victims Act, enacted in 2023, which eliminated the statute of limitations on civil claims for childhood sexual abuse, allowing victims to seek damages for incidents that occurred decades ago.

WWE and McMahon argued that roughly 40 years had passed since the alleged incidents, that key witnesses had died and that evidence had become difficult to obtain, contending that reviving time-barred claims violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.

The court sided with the plaintiffs, ruling that difficulty mounting a defense due to the passage of time alone was insufficient grounds to strike down the law as unconstitutional. The case may now proceed to discovery, including the submission of evidence and depositions. The court is scheduled to discuss the trial schedule on Nov. 17.

McMahon built WWE into a global professional wrestling empire but has long been dogged by sexual misconduct allegations. In 2022, he stepped down as WWE chairman and CEO after reports emerged of large nondisclosure agreements he had reached with women.

In 2024, former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a civil lawsuit alleging sexual violence and exploitation by McMahon. He denied the charges, but amid the growing controversy he stepped down as chairman of TKO Group as well. That lawsuit was referred to private, out-of-court arbitration in July.

Last year, McMahon was sanctioned by the SEC over his failure to properly disclose to the company nondisclosure agreements totaling $10.5 million reached with two women. He agreed to pay a $400,000 civil penalty and return approximately $1.33 million to WWE.

Linda McMahon, McMahon's wife and a former WWE CEO, is also named as a defendant. Linda, who currently serves as US Secretary of Education, faces allegations that she was aware of the abuse at the time and failed to act, though she has said she had no knowledge of the matter.


yjc@heraldcorp.com