The legal pressure on Vince McMahon and several current and former WWE executives continues to mount as more subpoenas have been filed in the Delaware Chancery Court shareholder lawsuit.
According to recent filings, John Laurinaitiswho was once a top WWE executive but is not a defendant in the casewas scheduled to be deposed on September 26 via Zoom from his attorneys office in Florida. McMahons longtime personal assistants, brothers Paul and Michael Mickey Mangieri, have also been subpoenaed to produce documents related to the case.
The scope of the lawsuit has expanded beyond WWE leadership. Liberty Media, owners of Formula 1, and private equity powerhouse KKR are set to be questioned under oath, with Liberty Medias designated representatives scheduled for depositions on September 30 and KKR partner Ted Oberwager on October 30. While not confirmed, both companies are believed to have been possible suitors for WWE before its eventual merger with Endeavors UFC.
The case alleges that McMahon had predetermined the outcome of the merger, steering the process toward Endeavor because it was the only deal that would guarantee him a continued role within the company. Plaintiffs argue that other potential buyers would not have allowed McMahon to remain after the fallout of his 2022 sexual misconduct scandal. Current WWE executives Nick Khan and Paul Triple H Levesque, along with former board members George Barrios and Michelle Wilson, are also named as defendants for allegedly failing to act in shareholders best interests.
Several figures have already sat for depositions, including TKO CFO Andrew Schleimer and independent WWE board members at the time of the merger: Steve Koonin, Steve Pamon, Man Jit Singh, and Jeffrey Speed. More depositions are scheduled through November, with attorneys building their case around whether the merger process was conducted in good faith.
While deposition transcripts and subpoenaed documents remain confidential for now, portions may become public if filed as exhibits in motions or trial proceedings later on. McMahon is being represented by Kirkland & Ellis, while Khan, Levesque, and the other board member defendants are represented by Latham & Watkins.
This lawsuit has received less attention than McMahons other legal battles because its being fought in Delaware Chancery Court, a less accessible venue compared to the federal cases that have generated headlines. Still, with discovery well underway, it could emerge as one of the most damaging cases tied to WWEs controversial merger process.
Do you think the shareholder lawsuit will ultimately expose more about Vince Mc Mahons handling of the WWEEndeavor merger? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
