Posted in: AEW, Sports, TV | Tagged: linda mcmahon, Vince McMahon, wrestling

Legal Ruling Allows WWE "Ring Boy" Lawsuit to Proceed in Maryland

The Maryland Supreme Court's decision enables the historic "Ring Boys" scandal lawsuit against WWE and the McMahons to move forward.

A landmark decision by the Supreme Court of Maryland has paved the way for a significant lawsuit to move forward in a case connected to allegations of historical abuse within professional wrestling. The court upheld the Maryland Child Victims Act, which eliminates the statute of limitations on child sex abuse lawsuits. According to a press release from DiCello Levitt, the ruling enables the progression of a lawsuit filed in October 2024 against World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC (WWE), Vincent K. McMahon, Linda McMahon, and WWE parent company TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (TKO). The case involves five anonymous plaintiffs, identified in court documents as John Does 1-5.

DiCello Levitt Partner Greg Gutzler, who leads the litigation, praised the court's decision in the press release. "Survivors of sexual assault, especially children, often do not come forward for years or even decades after the abuse occurred," Gutzler stated. "This delayed disclosure happens for numerous reasons—shame, fear, or manipulation—and it has too often prevented survivors from ever seeking justice and getting accountability."

The current litigation stems from what became known as the "Ring Boy scandal" of 1992, which garnered national attention and led to several resignations from the then-World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The press release details that the plaintiffs were allegedly hired as "Ring Boys" by former ringside announcer and ring crew chief Melvin Phillips Jr., who passed away in 2012, to assist with various tasks at wrestling events.

However, according to the press release, the lawsuit claims the Ring Boys "were groomed, exploited, and sexually abused by Phillips, who targeted children from broken homes. His sexual assaults occurred not only at the wrestling venues, but also in hotel rooms and other locations where Phillips would shuttle the boys in plain sight." It goes on to say that the defendants in the lawsuit "aware of the systemic and pervasive abuse but did not prevent or stop it."

"My clients' lives were destroyed by the defendants who allowed and enabled the open, rampant sexual abuse to occur for years," said Gutzler in the press release. "The abuse inflicted on my clients was inexcusable; they were mere children and had the right to expect that WWE executives would take action to protect them from the predators working within the WWE. We will bring light to their truth and fight for accountability and justice."

According to the press release, the FBI previously identified at least 10 individuals who were allegedly subjected to abuse, though the release suggests there may be more who have not come forward. The law firm states that additional survivors have emerged since the initial filing of the lawsuit in October.

Legal representatives for both Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon issued strong denials when the lawsuit was first filed. Linda McMahon's attorney stated, "Ms. McMahon will vigorously defend against this baseless lawsuit and without doubt ultimately succeed." Similarly, Vince McMahon's legal counsel declared, "We will vigorously defend Mr. McMahon and are confident the court will find that these claims are untrue and unfounded."

The case proceeds against a backdrop of significant developments for both defendants. Linda McMahon, who previously served as head of the Small Business Administration during former President Donald Trump's first term, currently stands as Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Education in his second term. Vince McMahon was removed from his position at WWE in 2024 following separate allegations related to hush money payments and sexual misconduct claims, and is reportedly still the subject of a federal sex trafficking investigation.

The Maryland court's decision represents a procedural development that allows the case to continue through the legal system. As with any ongoing litigation, the allegations contained within the lawsuit remain unproven in court, and all parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Bleeding Cool will continue to monitor and report on significant developments in this case as they occur.

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