John Laurinaitis has been placed on administrative leave after being named in an investigation about his conduct.
According to a new report from PWInsider.com, John Laurinaitis was placed on leave and Bruce Prichard has stepped in as WWE’s interim Head of Talent Relations. Fightful and POST Wrestling also confirmed the move, with the latter sharing the following memo sent out in regards to Laurinaitis’ status:
“All: John Laurinaitis has been placed on administrative leave pending the conclusion of our Board of Directors’ internal investigation. Bruce Prichard will serve as interim head of Talent Relations. 1/2
Bruce will ensure a seamless operational transition with the Talent Relations team during this period. Thank you as always”
Laurinaitis and Vince McMahon were both named in a June 15th report by the Wall Street Journal that showed the WWE board was investigating McMahon for his role in an alleged $3 million settlement paid to a former WWE employee that he had a romantic relationship with. According to the report, the board’s investigation not only showed the woman signed a non-disclosure agreement, but there were other NDAs related to claims of misconduct made against McMahon and Laurinaitis by other former female WWE employees.
According to the Journal, the WWE board members learned about the agreement through a series of anonymous emails, with one alleging McMahon doubled the woman’s salary after he began a sexual relationship with her and later “gave her like a toy” to Laurinaitis. In addition, the report states the nondisclosure agreement is said to have been paid $1 million up front, with the remaining $2 million being paid out over five years.
Vince McMahon voluntarily stepped down from his role as WWE CEO on June 17, with Stephanie McMahon stepping in as interim CEO and Chairwoman. Vince still retained his role “related to WWE’s creative content” while the investigation plays out. Vince also appeared on last Friday’s episode of SmackDown and Monday’s episode of RAW, but did not address the allegations during either show.
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