DiCello Levitt and Murphy, Falcon & Murphy filed a major
lawsuit today against World Wrestling Entertainment, Vincent
K. McMahon, Linda McMahon, and TKO Group Holdings, Inc on
behalf of five survivors of sexual abuse. The survivors
(John Does 1-5) were known within WWE as “Ring Boys,”
underaged boys hired by the organization’s ringside
announcer and ring crew chief Melvin Phillips Jr. to assist
with errands and other tasks in preparation for WWE’s
wrestling shows.

The lawsuit says that the underaged Ring Boys were groomed,
exploited, and sexually abused by Phillips, who targeted
children from broken homes. His sexual assaults occurred not
only at the wrestling venues, but also in hotel rooms and
other locations where Phillips would shuttle the boys in
plain sight. Defendants were fully aware of the systemic and
pervasive abuse and did nothing to prevent or stop it. The
FBI previously identified at least 10 Ring Boys abused by
Phillips, but there are likely countless others who have
suffered in silence for decades.

“Thanks to the bravery of our clients, we finally have a
chance to hold accountable those who allowed and enabled the
open, rampant sexual abuse of these young boys,” said Greg
Gutzler, a partner at DiCello Levitt, who is leading the
litigation. “That so many were aware of the sexual abuse of
the Ring Boys and did nothing to prevent or stop it is
simply unconscionable.”

The survivors only recently learned of the depth of
knowledge that the McMahons and the WWE had about what
happened to them and that sexual abuse in the company
started at the top with the McMahons.

The filing of Grant v. WWE, et al., No. 24-cv-90 (D. Conn.),
the acquisition of the WWE by TKO, and the ouster of Vince
McMahon as CEO all have provided new insights, and the
possibility of coming forward without incurring the
retribution and intimidation of the McMahons. This
information, along with recent changes in sex abuse laws,
has allowed them to pursue justice in this suit.

“The WWE and McMahons had a responsibility to these
underaged boys, and they failed them in the worst way
possible. We will vigorously fight to uncover the truth
about this systemic, insidious, and life-altering abuse,”
said Mark DiCello, founding partner of DiCello Levitt. “We
commend our clients for their bravery in coming forward and
promise to relentlessly seek justice for them.”


“These survivors are profiles in courage. One third of child
sex abuse victims never come forward, because the shame,
humiliation, trauma, and physical and psychological injuries
silence them,” said Professor Marci Hamilton, founder and
CEO of CHILD USA, a leading nonprofit think tank fighting to
preserve and strengthen children’s rights. “Sadly, we know
that 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 13 boys will be sexually abused
before the age of 18. CHILD USA is fighting child sex abuse
and trafficking, and one of the greatest tools in our
arsenal is to push for statute of limitations reform so
perpetrators and their enabling institutions can be held
accountable in cases of delayed disclosure. Due to the
Maryland window we fought for, these brave survivors can
seek justice.”

The case was filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore
County, MD by DiCello Levitt’s Greg Gutzler, Mark DiCello,
Bobby DiCello, Adam Prom, and Emma Bruder and Murphy, Falcon
& Murphy’s William H. “Billy” Murphy, Jr.