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A wrestler confirms an old claim that WWE CEO Vince McMahon raped a female referee in his limousine in 1986 amid new claims that he also paid women hush money to keep allegations of misconduct private.
McMahon is the embattled titan of the wrestling industry; He has been responsible for WWE for decades, inheriting the company from his father and growing it into the multi-billion dollar machine it is today.
Earlier this month he resigned from his role as CEO after being accused of paying female employees hush money. One allegation is that he gave a paralegal $3 million after their affair ended.
In the wake of the allegations, an older, more serious claim has resurfaced.
In 1992, Rita Chatterton, now 64, WWE’s first female referee, came forward and accused McMahon of raping her in his limousine in 1986.
Now their claim has been corroborated by former wrestler Leonard Inzitari, who says he saw Chatterton after the alleged attack.
A lawyer for McMahon did not respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com on Wednesday.
WWE Wrestling is investigating Vince McMahon over claims he paid women hush money after they accused him of misconduct, including a 41-year-old paralegal who says he gave her $3 million after they had an affair
Vince McMahon with Rita Chatterton, WWE’s first female referee, a year before she claims he raped her, on his TV show
In 1992, Rita Chatterton, now 64, WWE’s first female referee, came forward and accused McMahon of raping her in his limousine in 1986. She appeared on Gerald Rivera’s TV show
“I remember it like it was yesterday. She was a wreck. she was shaking. She was crying,” Inzitari, who went by the wrestling alias Mario Mancini, told Intelligencer.
He said he kept it a secret for decades for fear of being marginalized by McMahon and his family, who control the industry.
“He dug himself such a deep hole that I’m just fed up with it. I can’t take it anymore,” he said of his decision to speak out now.
Inzitari said Chatterton sobbing told him how McMahon “took his penis out,” forced her to perform oral sex on him, then forced himself “inside her.”
He recalled telling her, “Just shut up because it’s Vince McMahon. What are you going to do, henchman of Vince McMahon? You’re going to be kicked out of the wrestling business!’
Chatterton did not make her claim public for several years.
It wasn’t until she appeared on Geraldo Rivera’s TV show in 1992 that she made the allegation. He hasn’t addressed that yet.
McMahon gave her first major refereeing job in 1975 and then, she claims, offered her a $500,000-a-year contract as an onscreen referee.
“I knew at the time that that was a lot of money, but I didn’t know what the wrestlers were making,” she said.
She told Intelligencer McMahon told her not to fraternize with any of the wrestlers and warned her, “Stay clean. I don’t want you messing around with any of the wrestlers. You keep it professional.’
McMahon is married to Trump assistant Linda McMahon, who served as head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s presidency
Rita Marie Chatterton, WWE’s first full-time female referee, is shown in the ring
Chatterton made waves as the first female umpire in the 1980s, but her career ended after the alleged rape
In her 1992 interview, she told Rivera how she asked McMahon if they could discuss her career prospects the night she says he raped her.
They had been to a diner with a large group and then climbed into his limousine to talk privately outside. She said the limousine driver exited the vehicle.
“He starts talking about a half-million-dollar-a-year deal. Next thing I know, Vince McMahon is undoing his pants.”
Vince continued, “If you want a half-million dollar contract, you have to please me, and that’s how things have to be.”
“Vince grabbed my hand and tried to put my hand on him. i was scared In the end my wrist was all purple, black and blue. Things just didn’t… He just… God, he just didn’t stop. This man just didn’t stop,” she said through tears.
“I was forced to have oral sex with Vince McMahon. When I couldn’t fulfill his wishes, he got really angry, started tearing down my jeans, pulled me onto him, and told me again that if I wanted a half-million-dollar-a-year contract, I had to satisfy him .
Now Chatterton’s claim has been corroborated by former wrestler Leonard Inzitari, who says he saw Chatterton after the alleged attack. At that time he ran under the wrestler pseudonym Mario Mancini
“He could make me or break me and if I didn’t please him I was balled black, that was it, I was done.”
She claimed he told her afterwards, “I told you not to mess with any of the wrestlers. You did it.’
Afterwards, Chatterton said McMahon stopped booking her for jobs. At the time, McMahon denied her claims.
He sued her and Rivera, claiming that they were trying to bring him down and were spurred on by his enemies. The lawsuit was dropped with neither side winning.
His longtime attorney, Jerry McDevitt, did not respond to inquiries Wednesday afternoon.
McMahon’s wife Linda with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in 2019. She now works at the America First Institute
He has also not yet responded to the allegations that McMahon paid former employees hush money.
The board of directors of a WWE – which consists largely of McMahon’s family – is now investigating the allegations.
His wife Linda, who served as head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s presidency, also remained silent. McMahon has been CEO of the multi-billion dollar company since 2009 and is said to be worth $2 billion.
According to the allegations, McMahon initially hired the paralegal on a salary of $100,000 and then doubled it to $200,000 when they started having sex.
She claims he then passed her “like a toy” to WWE’s Head of Talent, John Laurinaitis.
