Judge Rules WWE, Vince and Linda McMahon Must Face Lawsuit Over Alleged Sexual Abuse of Teenage Ring Boys

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and former executives Vince and Linda McMahon must face a lawsuit alleging negligence in connection with the sexual abuse of teenage 'ring boys' in the 1980s and 1990s after a federal judge rejected their constitutional challenge to a Maryland law allowing survivors to pursue previously time-barred claims.

US District Judge James K. Bredar in Baltimore ruled on Monday, 19 October, that Maryland's 2023 Child Victims Act was constitutional as applied to the case. The decision allows the lawsuit, filed in 2024 by eight anonymous plaintiffs, to proceed despite the defendants' arguments that reviving decades-old claims violated their constitutional rights.

The ruling does not determine whether the alleged abuse occurred or whether WWE or the McMahons are legally responsible. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages.

Maryland Law Opened a Path to Old Claims

Maryland extended the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims from three years to seven in 2003. In 2017, lawmakers introduced a 20-year filing limit for certain claims against defendants not accused of directly committing the abuse. The Child Victims Act of 2023 subsequently removed the applicable time restrictions, allowing previously time-barred claims to be revived.

The law followed a broader wave of legislation after the #MeToo movement, with some states introducing temporary windows for older claims. In February 2025, Maryland's highest court upheld the law's retroactive application under the state constitution.

Other states have taken different approaches. Courts in Maine, Utah, and Kentucky have ruled against particular attempts to revive previously time-barred claims.

Eight Plaintiffs Allege Abuse by Wrestling Officials

The lawsuit alleges that the eight plaintiffs were recruited by Melvin Phillips, a ringside announcer, to work as part-time crew members for the wrestling organisation, then known as the World Wrestling Federation. The plaintiffs allege abuse by Phillips and other former officials when they were teenagers; the specific allegations vary. All three alleged abusers died before the lawsuit was filed.

The plaintiffs also accuse WWE and the McMahons of negligence, including negligent hiring and retention. Their claims seek to hold the company and its former executives accountable for their alleged failures in connection with the abuse.

WWE and lawyers for Vince and Linda McMahon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. Greg Gutzler, a lawyer for the plaintiffs at DiCello Levitt, welcomed the decision, saying Maryland's law recognises that 'trauma does not follow a legal deadline.'

'This ruling is a significant victory for our clients and for other survivors of childhood sexual abuse who have waited years for the opportunity to seek justice,' Gutzler said in a statement.

McMahons Have Denied Knowledge of Alleged Abuse

Vince McMahon helped turn the WWF into a major cultural force after purchasing his father's wrestling promotion in the 1980s. He resigned from WWE's parent organisation in 2024 amid separate allegations of sexual assault and trafficking, which he has denied.

Linda McMahon, Vince's estranged wife, was appointed US Secretary of Education by President Donald Trump in 2025 after leading the Small Business Administration during his first administration. Reuters reported that both had previously denied knowing about the alleged abuse.

Judge Rejects Constitutional Challenge

The defendants argued that Maryland could not revive claims after the relevant statutes of limitations had expired. They also warned that defending allegations dating back decades would be difficult because some witnesses had died, memories had faded, and evidence might no longer be available.

Bredar rejected those arguments and said the law served a legitimate purpose by addressing the barriers survivors of childhood sexual abuse face when seeking justice. 'Plaintiffs can make a case by producing at least some material facts to contest, documents to dispute, and witnesses to cross-examine,' the judge wrote. The latest ruling leaves the Maryland lawsuit moving forward, but the allegations remain to be proven in court.