(NewsNation) — Ashley Massaro’s name has been brought up again after recent sexual assault allegations against WWE co-founder Vince McMahon.
Massaro is a former WWE female wrestler who alleged that the organization covered up the fact that she was sexually assaulted while on a military base in the mid-1980s. Her claims were made public after she committed suicide in 2019, but WWE denied ever being informed.
Konstantine Kyros, who was the attorney for Massaro, told NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield that the former WWE wrestler was “alleging a widespread abuse of exploitative labor practices.”
“We were arguing that it was a totally unregulated workplace. And she had put that into a submission that was required by a federal judge in Connecticut. And it was an affidavit sworn under the penalties of perjury given to a federal judge.” Kyros said Friday on “Banfield.”
Kyros said the military didn’t launch an investigation at the time because “effectively, the issue was covered up.”
Federal authorities are now investigating sexual assault and sexual trafficking allegations against McMahon.
According to the federal lawsuit, Janel Grant, who worked at the company’s headquarters, alleged that McMahon sexually exploited her and attempted to traffic her to other WWE employees.
Last week, McMahon resigned as executive chairman of WWE parent TKO Group after the former employee filed a 67-page federal lawsuit.
Grant’s attorney says him stepping down isn’t enough.
“It’s been a long process, and she (Grant) wants to speak out for any other victims and eradicate this culture of corruption that has permeated every cell of the WWE,” Grant’s attorney Ann Callis told NewsNation’s Markie Martin on “Morning in America.”
Callis said that since Grant is going up against a multibillion-dollar company and very powerful men, they wanted to lay out all the “facts” to even the playing field. In the filing, Grant cited more than 300 allegations of sexual abuse.
NewsNation’s Cassie Buchman contributed to this report.
