A new lawsuit has been filed against WWE, TKO, and Vince & Linda McMahon, alleging that the McMahons were well aware of the infamous ‘Ring Boy Scandal’ of the early 1990s. The lawsuit has been brought on by five individuals who, according to the suit, feel empowered to come forward in the wake of regime changes in WWE and McMahon’s exit from the wrestling promotion earlier this year.
In a statement to Brandon Thurston on Fightful Select, Rosenberg said:
“More than 30 years ago, the columnist Phil Mushnick tried to make headlines with these same false claims. Those allegations were never proven and ultimately became the subject of a defamation lawsuit against Mr. Mushnick. The negligence claims against Mr. McMahon that were asserted today rely on these same absurd, defamatory and utterly meritless statements by Mr. Mushnick. We will vigorously defend Mr. McMahon and are confident the court will find that these claims are untrue and unfounded.”
The Ring Boy Scandal came to light in 1992 when allegations against Mel Phillips, Terry Garvin, and Pat Patterson led to their firings from WWE. While Garvin and Phillips were permanently removed, Patterson was later rehired and remained with the company until his death in 2020.
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.
