Vince McMahon‘s return to WWE continues to spark controversy.
Vince McMahon returned to the company in January 2023. He previously retired amid allegations of sexual misconduct and hush money in July 2022. The WWE board investigated the allegations and named Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon as Co-CEOs following Vince’s exit.
Ahead of Vince McMahon’s return, the WWE board wrote that his return would “not be prudent”, due to the government’s own investigation. However, he used his advantage in voting power to reshuffle the board, as JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed and Alan M. Wexler were removed. Additionally, and Man Jit Singh and Ignace Lahoud re-signed from the WWE board.
Lahoud discussed the situation while speaking with the LA Times, saying,“It wasn’t aligned with my way of seeing what governance is. There was a misalignment with what my values are.”
In the article, a source close to one of the former board members noted that McMahon “expects loyalty”, and he looked at the investigation as a disloyal act.
Another source close to the board recalled how Vince McMahon handled the investigation. They noted that he changed his attitude when he was told he should step down.
“He said, ‘OK, do whatever you guys need to do. I’m not going to stand in your way,” the source said. “Of course, when the board said, ‘Well, you know, we think you need to step down,’ he wasn’t happy about it, but he did it.”
Vince McMahon’s return led to WWE reaching a deal with Endeavor. The transaction closed on September 12, and WWE merged with UFC to form TKO.
McMahon was previously served with a subpoena, but no charges were filed. More information is available here.
