Vince McMahon’s 1986 rape allegation resurfaces as former wrestler corroborates story

Vince McMahon interviewing Rita Chatterton on the professional wrestling talk show, Tuesday Night Titans.

Amid news of misconduct and hush money payouts in WWE, Rita Chatterton, the then-World Wrestling Federation’s first female referee, revisited her rape accusation against WWE CEO and Chairman Vince McMahon. in an interview with new york magazine.

McMahon has stepped down from his duties as the company’s board of directors conducts an investigation into his affair with another former WWE employee, who was reportedly paid $3 million in a separation agreement that prohibited him from disparage the company or the relationship with McMahon. The investigation also looks into allegations of misconduct against McMahon and WWE’s head of talent relations, John Laurinaitis.

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However, Chatterton’s accusation goes back much further. She first accused McMahon of raping her in the summer of 1986 during a 1992 interview with Geraldo Rivera on her show. Now you can count. During the interview, Chatterton alleged that McMahon proposed to her for sex during a private meeting in order to get a higher paying WWF contract.

By then, the statute of limitations for rape had already expired and charges were never filed.

McMahon hired Chatterton to the WWF to arbitrate his storyline in which American singer Cyndi Lauper represented wrestler Wendi Richter. After she was hired, Chatterton said new york magazine that her friend and former wrestler Leonard Inzitari warned her to stay away from Vince.

“He could make me or break me, and if I didn’t satisfy him, I was on the black ball, that was it,” Chatterton told Rivera in 1992. “I was finished.”

the story continues

chatterton said new york magazine that McMahon pretended not to know her when they both attended Andre The Giant’s funeral. McMahon and his wife would later file a lawsuit against Chatterton and Rivera alleging false rape. They later dropped the charges as WWE was very busy with unrelated lawsuits regarding child abuse, sexual harassmentand traffic illegal drugs to enhance performance.

Read more: Everything we know about Vince McMahon’s WWE investigation [Updated]

Today, McMahon and WWE face a new controversy as the misconduct investigation continues. His daughter, Stephanie McMahon, serves as CEO and interim president of the wrestling promotion, while McMahon maintains creative control of WWE’s ongoing storylines.

News of WWE’s internal investigation into McMahon led former wrestler Leonard Inzitari to corroborate Chatterton’s accusation against McMahon in the same new york magazine report.

“Did he take advantage of her? Absolutely,” Inzitar said. new york magazine. “She Was she scared to death? Absolutely. Did she want to do that? Probably not.”

Both Inzitari and Chatterton told the publication that they are not surprised by the current investigation of McMahon, with Chatterton adding that she is glad the allegations against her are being investigated.

“Now that this girl has come forward, I’m sure others will come forward,” Chatterton said. new york magazine. “Because we are not the only two. There is no question in my mind about that.”