Nick Khan Testified That DOJ Investigated Sex Trafficking In Relation To Vince McMahon

Testimony from Nick Khan undermines a previous statement from Vince McMahon.

In January 2025, Vince McMahon settled with the SEC in relation to undisclosed agreements he executed on behalf of WWE when he was the company’s CEO and Chairman. He was ordered to pay a $400,000 penalty and repay WWE $1.3 million.

McMahon issued a statement that read:

“Today ends nearly three years of investigation by different governmental agencies. There has been a great deal of speculation about what exactly the government was investigating and what the outcome would be. As today’s resolution shows, much of that speculation was misguided and misleading.

“In the end, there was never anything more to this than minor accounting errors with regard to some personal payments that I made several years ago while I was CEO of WWE. I’m thrilled that I can now put all this behind me.”

In a new testimony by WWE President Nick Khan as part of the ongoing shareholder lawsuit against WWE (via Brandon Thurston at POST Wrestling), his comments contrast the statement made by McMahon.

An attorney for the shareholder plaintiffs asked Khan when he became aware that the DOJ was looking into matters beyond accounting issues.

“When the search warrants for the devices were served upon Vince, Brad Blum, and Vince’s personal assistant and when those warrants were sent from Vince’s lawyers to WWE’s lawyers, and they were read to me and it included sex trafficking is when I was aware of it,” Khan responded.

The report from POST states, “Khan affirmed in multiple instances that he was aware sex trafficking was among the statutes the government was examining and also confirmed that DOJ prosecutors asked him about “sex crimes” during his own government interview, in addition to questions about the recording of payments.

“In the deposition related to the TKO merger, the plaintiff attorney, Edward Timlin, asked Khan whether a grand jury subpoena — received by WWE sometime after Sept. 2, 2022, before the later warrants — also referenced sex trafficking. Khan initially said he didn’t recall, but after Timlin described the subpoena as containing sex trafficking statutes, Khan said: ‘In hearing you say it, I do recall when I read the grand jury subpoena that it said something about trafficking in there.'”

Timlin also asked Khan whether a grand jury subpoena — received by WWE sometime after Sept. 2, 2022, before the later warrants — also referenced sex trafficking. Khan initially said he didn’t recall, but after the subpoena was described as containing sex trafficking statutes, Khan said, “In hearing you say it, I do recall when I read the grand jury subpoena that it said something about trafficking in there.”

A search warrant was executed on McMahon on July 17, 2023.

McMahon negotiated a number of NDAs over the years with women who has accused him of sexual misconduct. He signed some on behalf of himself and WWE. News of the hush money and sexual misconduct allegations broke in June 2022. WWE had to correct its financial reporting filed with the SEC to account for the payments that also provided protections for the company.

Former employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit in January 2024, accusing McMahon of sex trafficking and sexual assault. The suit is still ongoing.

McMahon’s representatives said in early 2025 that the investigation had concluded without any charges. He has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct made against him.