Netflix’s recently released docuseries, Mr. McMahon, offered non-wrestling fans a revealing look at the embattled former owner of WWE, Vincent K. McMahon. That miniseries touched upon a WWE ring boys scandal from the 1980s, which has now led to a new lawsuit against McMahon, his wife and former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, as well as World Wrestling Entertainment.
As reported by NBC, five former WWE ring boys–the industry term for teens who helped put the ring together at shows–have filed a case alleging that McMahon and WWE failed to protect them from being sexually sexually exploited by former ring announcer Melvin Phillips Jr., who died in 2012. At the time of the alleged crimes, the victims were all underage, with some as young as 12 and 13 years old. The suit contends that McMahon fired Phillips over the initial allegations in 1988, only to rehire him with a condition to “steer away from kids.” Phillips reportedly continued to abuse his victims after returning to WWE.
“The underaged ring boys were groomed, exploited, and sexually abused by Phillips. who targeted children from broken homes,” said the law firms DiCello Levitt and Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, which are representing the victims in the case. McMahon is accused of personally being aware of Phillips’ “peculiar and unnatural interest” in underage boys.
McMahon was forced out of WWE after a separate lawsuit was filed that accused him of sexually trafficking and exploiting one of his former employees. That case is currently on hold pending an investigation by the Justice Department.
Image credit: Getty Images/Michelle Farsi
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