Vince McMahon’s Legal Woes Deepen as More Subpoenas Fly in Shareholder Lawsuit

Just when you thought the Vince McMahon legal saga couldn’t get any more convoluted, another layer of drama has been generously slathered on top. The ongoing shareholder lawsuit in Delaware is starting to heat up legally. This focuses on claiming McMahon basically strong-armed the sale of WWE to Endeavor because it was the only deal that kept him in a comfy seat of power.

More Names In A Subpoena

The latest round of legal documents, fresh from the Delaware Chancery Court, has a few interesting names on it. A subpoena has been sent to none other than John Laurinaitis, the former top WWE executive. “Johnny Ace” was scheduled for a little chat via Zoom on September 26. It’s hard to keep track of how many subpoena’s John Laurinaitis has gotten the past few years..

Also getting a knock on the door were McMahon’s longtime personal assistants, brothers Paul and Michael “Mickey” Mangieri. They’ve been hit with a subpoena demanding they fork over any relevant documents. One can only imagine the kind of “documents” two guys who have been joined at Vince’s hip for years might have. Especially with how much of a creep he is.

This legal fishing expedition isn’t just sticking to the WWE pond, either. They’re casting a wider net that includes some serious financial sharks. Liberty Media, the folks who own Formula 1, and private equity giant KKR are also on the deposition docket.  The lawsuit is trying to paint a picture where McMahon, terrified of being ousted steered the ship directly into Endeavor’s port because they were the only ones willing to let him stay on board.

Who’s Getting Dragged Into This WWE Legal Battle?

The defendants’ list reads like a who’s who of WWE’s executive suite. Alongside McMahon, you have current WWE President Nick Khan and the king of NXT, Paul “Triple H” Levesque. Former board members George Barrios and Michelle Wilson are also named, accused of failing to look out for the shareholders’ best interests. Basically, the plaintiffs are arguing that the board just rubber-stamped Vince’s master plan without doing their due diligence.

The deposition train has been chugging along for a while now. TKO’s CFO, Andrew Schleimer, has already had his turn in the hot seat. So have the independent WWE board members who were around for the merger: Steve Koonin, Steve Pamon, Man Jit Singh, and Jeffrey Speed. With more sessions scheduled through November, attorneys are painstakingly trying to piece together whether this whole merger .

What Does This Lawsuit Mean for Vince McMahon?

So, why isn’t this particular lawsuit getting the same splashy headlines as McMahon’s other, more sordid legal troubles? Simple: it’s playing out in the Delaware Chancery Court. It’s a venue that’s about as accessible to the public as a secret society’s clubhouse. But don’t let the quiet fool you. As each subpoena is served and every deposition is taken, the pressure cooker is getting hotter.

For now, the juicy details from the depositions and the subpoenaed documents are under lock and key.  McMahon is being represented by the legal eagles at Kirkland & Ellis, while the other defendants have Latham & Watkins in their corner. They’re certainly not skimping on the legal firepower.

While the federal cases against McMahon pack a more visceral punch, this shareholder lawsuit could be the one that truly unravels the controversial WWE-Endeavor merger. It has the potential to expose just how much influence McMahon wielded to save his own skin, possibly at the expense of everyone else. Stay tuned, because it feels like the main event is still to come, hopefully Vince got the discount rates for lawyers.