AEW Refuses to Reveal Ownership of Parent Company, Judge Likely Sending Case Back to State Court

As previously reported, the federal judge in the case gave AEW an ultimatum: reveal the trustees and beneficiaries behind Beatnik Investments LLC, AEWs parent company, or lose the right to keep the case in federal court. That ownership information was detailed in a redacted affidavit, which AEW had tried to keep sealed.

Judge Matthew F. Leitman wasnt buying AEWs reasoning, writing in his July 29 ruling that AEW offers nothing more than unsubstantiated privacy concerns and that those concerns fall short of justifying the filing of the Graham Affidavit under seal.

The judge set an August 5 deadline for AEW to refile the affidavit unredacted meaning full disclosure of the names tied to Beatnik Investments. But on August 4, AEW formally told the court it will not comply.

WrestleNomics Brandon Thurston summarized AEWs stance, noting that the company wont file an unredacted version of its filing that would disclose the trustees and beneficiaries behind Beatnik Investments LLC, the entity that controls AEW. AEW says those individuals are from Illinois where the Khan family is originally from but insists on providing that information only under seal.

The judge has already warned that if AEW refuses, the case will be remanded to state court. That now seems inevitable. As Thurston added, Why AEW is being secretive about this information is unclear. This will probably only fuel conspiracy theories.

The lawsuit stems from an alleged incident at AEW Dynamite in Detroit on May 2023, where Dispensa claims Moxley shoved him during an unscripted spot, causing severe neck and shoulder injuries that required surgery. AEW and Moxley are accused of gross negligence and assault.

If the case moves back to state court, AEW could face less favorable legal conditions but for now, they seem willing to take that risk rather than put their ownership structure on public record.