New Audio Messages Reveal Ari Emanuel Offering Support to Vince McMahon Over His Looming Legal Isues

POST Wrestling has a report on newly obtained audio that was acquired that includes two messages from WME and TKO CEO Ari Emanuel left to former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon regarding his legal issues. The messages were sent to McMahon in September 2022 after he initially retired as WWE CEO in July 2022.

The transcripts of these messages had been released before as part of the ongoing WWE merger shareholder lawsuit, but the audio of the messages has now been made available to the public. They were filed earlier as exhibits in the lawsuit in the Delaware Court of Chancery over the TKO merger.

In the first voice message sent on Sept. 16, 2022, Ari Emanuel personally assures Vince McMahon that he would assist him with his looming legal issues, as he reportedly sought to make a deal that would become the WWE and UFC merger into TKO Group Holdings, LLC. In the audio, Emanuel looks to ease McMahon’s concerns as he was facing investigations from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Emanuel says in the message, “I spoke to my lawyer from Latham. Just FYI, everybody at the DOJ is former Latham lawyers. So on that side, it will be helpful. SEC, of course, is SEC, but that’s just the penalty. As it relates to everything else, yes, we can indemnify you, and we will. If it’s criminal, of course, you can’t stop criminal, but this is not criminal. Call me when you get a chance.”

In the second message, dated Sept. 19, 2022, Emanuel is heard telling McMahon, “I really do think that we all need to get together and talk through all the issues, because I think whether it be the DOJ or anything, there’s ways around this to figure this out, and I don’t know what, you know, you’re hearing or thinking. So give me a call if you have five seconds.”

POST Wrestling notes that as part of a deposition that was part of the merger lawsuit, Emanuel denied that McMahon was ever personally indemnified by Endeavor or Emanuel.

In another message from Vince McMahon to Jeff Sine, the Raine Group banker who advised McMahon and WWE on the merger deal, McMahon talks about moving forward on the deal. He says in the message, “Hey, Jeff. It’s 10:13 [p.m.]. Very good meeting with Ari and company. And I think, and probably the best thing to do, is to go forward with the deal with Ari. It solves a lot of problems. I, you know, again, together, I think it’s a stronger situation than either one of us on our own. But I’m pretty sure that’s the way I want to go now.” He continued, “It’s easier, faster and all that kind of stuff. So, let’s talk in the morning, and I didn’t commit to Ari, but let’s talk in the morning, and, and go. [Laughs.] Jeff, thank you so much. Sorry to call so late.”

As previously noted, McMahon retired from WWE in July 2022 after reports emerged that he made “hush money” payments to four women over 12 years. McMahon eventually forced his way back onto the WWE Board of Directors in early 2023, leading to the company’s sale to WME later in the year.

McMahon later resigned from his role as TKO Executive Chairman of the Board after a lawsuit was filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant against McMahon, WWE, and former executive John Laurinaitis, alleging sexual misconduct and trafficking by McMahon. As previously noted, a judge recently granted a motion requested by all parties to move the lawsuit to private arbitration.