The sexual assault lawsuit filed by Candy Cartwright (real name Samantha Tavel) against Matt Riddle will continue forward, but EVOLVE founder Gabe Sapolsky and WWE have been removed as defendants. Per PW Insider, Illinois judge Manish Shah dismissed both WWE and Sapolsky from the lawsuit after Cartwright failed to “prove that either were in any way connected to her claims against Riddle.”
Cartwright was looking to get $10 million from each defendant on the case (so $30 million in total). While WWE and Sapolsky were removed from the lawsuit, Riddle wasn’t dismissed despite trying to get the case thrown out. So, that case alleging sexual assault in 2017 and an incident where Riddle is said to have forced Cartwright to perform oral sex on him by choking her during a bus ride to EVOLVE 104 will continue.
Cartwright had previously alleged that misogynistic culture was rampant in EVOLVE and that she lost out on bookings due to Riddle signing with WWE and the company’s working relationship with EVOLVE.
