..
Ex-WWE owner Vince McMahon paid out £12.15m in hush money
to several women as ‘hidden expenses’ emerge after retirement
Kostas Lianos
19:01, 25 Jul 2022
The Scottish Sun
WWE admitted that former Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon paid out £12.15m in “unrecorded expenses” amid sexual misconduct allegations.
That is according to the New York Post, who claim that was hush money paid to several women who have alleged sexual misconduct between 2006 and 2022.
Vince McMahon has recently retired from duties in WWE's creative team. Credit: Reuters
The wrestling giants confirmed in an SEC filing that a sum of "unrecorded expenses" does exist and that they will revise previous financial statements to reflect the expenditures.
It is not yet confirmed what the unrecorded expenses relate to.
The Wall Street Journal revealed last month that the WWE board is investigating McMahon after receiving an anonymous tip via email claiming he paid hush money to an ex-employee with whom he had an affair.
The email claimed he hired the woman as a paralegal to a $100,000 (£83,000) salary, and doubled it after the affair began.
Then it was claimed McMahon “gave her like a toy” to long-time WWE executive John Laurinaitis.
The Wall Street Journal later alleged that McMahon paid millions over the course of at least 16 years to four different women with whom he had sexual relationships.
McMahon retired from WWE's creative control after the allegations surfaced but appears to remain as the company's majority shareholder.
WWE said in the filing: "All payments underlying the Unrecorded Expenses were or will be paid by Vince McMahon personally."
The company added that it “has also received, and may receive in the future, regulatory, investigative and enforcement inquiries, subpoenas or demands arising from, related to, or in connection with these matters.”
The SEC filing also admitted that the probe will likely conclude that its “internal control over financial reporting was not effective as a result of one or more material weaknesses.”
McMahon has handed control of the company over to his daughter Stephanie, who was named Chairwoman and co-CEO, alongside co-CEO Nick Khan.
=====================================================================================
Jury finds former Vancouver Canuck Jake Virtanen
not guilty of sexual assault
Virtanen was charged with one count of sexual assault in January
CBC News ·
Posted: Jul 26, 2022 10:50 AM PT |
A 12-person jury has found former Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen not guilty of sexual assault.
Virtanen was charged with one count of sexual assault in January following an investigation by Vancouver police.
The Crown and defence counsel finished their closing arguments Monday by focusing on the reliability of the trial's two witnesses and their conflicting testimony.
Virtanen, 25, and the complainant were the only witnesses called to testify.
The hockey player maintained his innocence throughout the trial in relation to an incident in a hotel room at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver on Sept. 26, 2017.
The complainant, whose name is protected by a publication ban and was identified as MS throughout the trial, said she fended off Virtanen's physical advances and told him multiple times she didn't want to have sex. She testified he used his body weight to pin her on the bed before having non-consensual sex.
Virtanen maintained that he and MS had consensual sex in his hotel room. He said MS never pushed him away or told him no, and was a willing participant.
I was abused at top Scottish private school – it still haunts me,
says BBC presenter Nicky Campbell
Mike Bedigan
7:58, 27 Jul 2022 Updated: 11:08, 27 Jul 2022
BBC presenter Nicky Campbell has claimed that he was the victim of abuse at a Scottish private school during the 1970s.
The broadcaster, 61, said witnessing incidents of both sexual and physical abuse at the Edinburgh Academy had had a "profound effect on my life".
Nicky Campbell claimed he was ‘badly beaten’ by a teacher. Credit: PA
Campbell made the claims for the first time on an episode of his podcast Different on BBC Sounds, released on Wednesday.
During the episode he discusses his experiences with journalist Alex Renton, creator of the radio programme In Dark Corners, which explores abuse at Britain's private schools.
Campbell will later tell BBC Radio 5 Live: "I was badly beaten up at school by a teacher who was a leading light in the scripture union.
"My mother took it as far as she could and got a grovelling apology from (the man involved), but was essentially stonewalled and it was hushed up by the school.
"Those were different times and that has stayed with me all my life."
Campbell also discussed witnessing more serious sexual abuse, allegedly enacted on his school-mates at the hands of another man at the institution.
"I cannot describe it here and I can never un-see it," he will tell 5 Live.
"This man was known to us all as a predator and a sadist but we never told anyone.
"My school friends and I talk about it now with each other with again - contempt, disbelief and incomprehension that sort of thing happened in plain sight and nothing was done.
"And why didn't we as little boys tell anyone in power what was happening? I don't know."
It was also revealed to Campbell by Renton that the alleged abuser is still alive, but has not been named for legal reasons.
Speaking on his own podcast Campbell says the reason he has chosen to come forward is to bring the man to justice over the alleged abuse.
In a statement provided to the BBC, Edinburgh Academy said it "deeply regrets" the alleged incidents and "wholeheartedly" apologised to those involved.
"We have worked closely with the relevant authorities including Police Scotland with their inquiries and would like to provide reassurance that things have dramatically changed since the 1970s," the statement read.
"The Academy has robust measures in place to safeguard children at the school with child protection training now core to the ethos of the Academy."
Different With Nicky Campbell is available on BBC Sounds.
=====================================================================================
Browns QB Deshaun Watson suspended 6 games
for violating NFL's personal conduct policy
Watson settled 23 of 24 lawsuits filed by women alleging sexual harassment, assault
Rob Maaddi, Tom Withers ·
The Associated Press ·
Posted: Aug 01, 2022 9:27 AM ET
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson can continue to practice and play in exhibition games before his suspension begins the first week of the regular season. He would be eligible to return on Oct. 23 when the Browns play at Baltimore. (Ron Schwane/The Associated Press)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was suspended for six games Monday for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy following accusations by two dozen women in Texas of sexual misconduct during massage treatments, in what a disciplinary officer said was behaviour "more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL."
Watson, who played for four seasons with Houston before being traded to Cleveland in March, recently settled 23 of 24 lawsuits filed by women alleging sexual harassment and assault during the treatments in 2020 and 2021.
The NFL has three days to appeal the decision by retired federal judge Sue L. Robinson.
"Although this is the most significant punishment ever imposed on an NFL player for allegations of nonviolent sexual conduct, Mr. Watson's pattern of conduct is more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL," Robinson wrote in the conclusion to her 16-page report.
Even though the only discipline in the collective bargaining agreement is a fine or suspension, Robinson mandated as condition of reinstatement that Watson should "limit his massage therapy to Club-directed sessions and Club-approved massage therapists for the duration of his career."
She added that Watson must have "no adverse involvement with law enforcement and must not commit any additional violations" of the personal conduct policy.
The NFL Players Association already stated it would abide by Robinson's ruling. If either side appeals, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell or someone he designates will make the decision, per terms of the CBA. The union then could try to challenge that ruling in federal court.
The league had pushed for an indefinite suspension of at least one year and at least a $5 million US fine for the 26-year-old Watson during a three-day hearing before Robinson in June, two people familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the hearing wasn't public.
Watson, who signed a fully guaranteed $230 million, five-year contract, will lose only $345,000 if the suspension is unchanged because his base salary this season is $1.035 million. His $45 million signing bonus is not affected by the suspension.
Good grief! That's pocket change! I wonder how much the 23 lawsuits cost him?
In a statement, the league thanked Robinson for reviewing "the voluminous record ... that resulted in her finding multiple violations of the NFL Personal Conduct Policy by Deshaun Watson."
"In light of her findings, the league is reviewing Judge Robinson's imposition of a six-game suspension and will make a determination on next steps," the statement said.
Watson can continue to practice and play in exhibition games before his suspension begins the first week of the regular season. He can return to practice in Week 4 and would be eligible to play on Oct. 23 when the Browns play at Baltimore.
He has been in training camp with the Browns and has continued to take most of the reps with the first-team offense, which will be turned over to backup Jacoby Brissett while he's sidelined.
No comments:
Post a Comment