Earlier this month, a lawsuit was filed, alleging that WWE higher-ups knew of the ring boy scandal at the time, but did not attempt to prevent it. The scandal saw minors hired by the then-WWF allegedly sexually abused by some in the company, resulting in the firings of Pat Patterson, Mel Philips, and Terry Garvin, though Patterson was later rehired.
In a statement, Jessica T. Rosenberg, who is representing Vince McMahon, claimed that the allegations are “untrue and unfounded.” That statement also referenced Phil Mushnick, a reporter who was on the receiving end of a defamation lawsuit after reporting on the alleged abuse over 30 years ago.
In an interview with Post Wrestling, attorney Greg Gutzler, who is representing the plaintiffs, had the following response.
“If you read the 81-page complaint, you are going to see multiple facts, myriad facts, dozens of facts that have nothing to do with Phil Mushnick. We had the fact that we had Mel Phillips, shuttling young boys in plain sight, in front of WWE executives and wrestlers, from state to state. You have him in plain sight staying in hotel rooms with young boys. You have in plain sight Mel Phillips engaging in sexual foot fetishes in the ring in front of people, in the locker room in front of wrestlers, and he was even provided his private dressing room in certain areas. You have the FBI videotape, where the FBI said — the behavioral science unit said — this is consistent with pedophilia and sexual foot fetishes.”
The lawsuit alleges that Phillips exploited and sexually abused underage boys who had been underage boys who had been hired to perform tasks at WWE events. The abuse allegedly occurred in various locations, including wrestling venues and hotel rooms, where Phillips would transport the boys under the pretense of work-related errands.
This is an ongoing situation and we aim to provide updates as and when they become publicly available.