Case Name: John Doe 1 et al v. World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC et al
Case Number: 1:24-cv-03487
Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
Role: Plaintiffs' Counsel
Status: Ongoing

John Doe 1 et al v. World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC et al

WWE Ring Boys Sexual Abuse Litigation

DiCello Levitt represents survivors in ongoing litigation alleging that WWE, TKO Group Holdings, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon allowed and enabled the sexual abuse of underaged “Ring Boys” who worked at and attended WWE events.

DiCello Levitt represents survivors in John Doe 1 et al. v. World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC et al., a negligence case against World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC, Vincent K. McMahon, Linda McMahon, and TKO Group Holdings, Inc arising from child sexual abuse within the company. The complaint alleges that, when the plaintiffs were children and working as “Ring Boys” in connection with WWE wrestling events, they were groomed, exploited, and sexually abused by now-deceased WWE employees .

The lawsuit alleges that Melvin Phillips Jr., WWE’s ringside announcer and ring crew chief, hired underaged boys to assist with errands and other even-related tasks, then used his WWE role and access to wrestling events to groom and sexually abuse them. Plaintiffs further allege that WWE leadership knew or should have known about systemic abuse involving Ring Boys, but failed to prevent or stop it. The case remains ongoing, and the allegations have not been finally adjudicated.

Key Court Decisions

October 23, 2024 — DiCello Levitt and Murphy, Falcon & Murphy filed the lawsuit on behalf of five survivors identified as John Does 1–5.
February 3, 2025 — The Supreme Court of Maryland upheld the Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023 as constitutional as applied in the cases before it. The decision allowed the WWE Ring Boys case to move forward under Maryland law.
May 6, 2025 — Plaintiffs filed a Corrected First Amended Complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, expanding the case to John Does 1–8 and asserting claims for negligence and negligent hiring, training, and retention against all defendants.
December 10, 2025 — U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar largely denied motions to dismiss filed by WWE, TKO, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon, allowing the majority of survivors’ claims to proceed to discovery.
May 15, 2026 — U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar granted Plaintiffs’ motion to proceed under pseudonyms, allowing Plaintiffs to continue using John Doe status.

Case Overview

John Doe 1 et al. v. World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC et al. is an ongoing child sexual abuse case brought by former “Ring Boys” who allege they were abused as minors while working in connection with WWE wrestling events. According to the First Amended Complaint, Melvin Phillips Jr. worked for WWE and its predecessor entities as a ringside announcer and ring crew chief during the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. Plaintiffs allege that Phillips hired underaged boys, sometimes as young as 12 or 13, to help WWE’s ring crew with errands and event-related tasks.

The complaint alleges that Phillips used the promise of access to WWE events, wrestlers, and front-row seats to groom and exploit children. Plaintiffs further allege that abuse occurred at wrestling venues, in hotel rooms, and in other locations connected to WWE events, and that WWE personnel and leadership knew or should have known about the danger Phillips posed to children.

The lawsuit seeks to hold WWE, TKO, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon accountable for allegedly allowing Phillips and other WWE personnel to use WWE events, travel, lodging, and access to children in ways that enabled child sex abuse. The First Amended Complaint asserts claims for negligence and negligent hiring, training, and retention, alleging that defendants failed to take reasonable steps to protect children who were working in and around and attending WWE events.

The case was filed after Maryland enacted the Child Victims Act of 2023, which eliminated time restrictions applicable to child sexual abuse claims. In February 2025, the Supreme Court of Maryland upheld the Act as constitutional as applied to the cases before it, clearing an important path for survivors seeking to bring claims under Maryland law.

In December 2025, the district court largely denied defendants’ motions to dismiss, allowing the majority of the survivors’ claims to proceed to discovery. In May 2026, the court granted plaintiffs’ motion to proceed under pseudonyms and for a protective order, recognizing the sensitive and personal nature of allegations involving childhood sexual abuse.

This case is John Doe 1 et al. v. World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-03487, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The DiCello Levitt team is led by Greg Gutzler and Adam Prom and also includes Mark A. DiCello, Bobby DiCello, and Emma Bruder, with local counsel Murphy, Falcon & Murphy.