WWE Alumnus Mario Mancini Corroborates Allegation That Vince McMahon Raped Female Referee

A former WWE talent recently corroborated WWE referee Rita Chatterton’s longstanding allegation that Vince McMahon sexually assaulted her. Chatterton, the first female referee in WWE, alleged in 1992 during an appearance on Geraldo Rivera’s Now It Can Be Told that McMahon raped her in 1986. She stated that McMahon tried to force her to perform oral sex on him and when she refused, he forcibly raped her. She said at the time:

“I was forced into oral sex with Vince McMahon. When I couldn’t complete his desires, he got really angry, started ripping off my jeans, pulled me on top of him, and told me again that, if I wanted a half-a-million-dollar-a-year contract, that I had to satisfy him. He could make me or break me, and if I didn’t satisfy him, I was black-balled, that was it, I was done.”

The allegations are getting a new spotlight following the news from earlier this month that McMahon is being investigated by the WWE Board over an $3 million hush payment that was allegedly paid to an employee he had an affair with. The report noted that the board has found other NDAs that involve claims of misconduct made by former WWE employees against McMahon as well as WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis, though details on those have yet to be revealed.

In light of that news, Leonard Inzitari, who wrestled as Mario Mancini in WWE as an enhancement talent from 1984 to 1992, told New York Magazine that he backs Chatterton’s claims. He recalled how in 1986, he saw Chatterton standing alone near the ring before a show and when she looked at him, she burst into tears. He noted, “I remember it like it was yesterday. She was a wreck. She was shaking. She was crying.”

Inzitari recalled how Chatterton told her that she was in McMahon’s limo and he exposed himself, then tried to push her head down. She told Inzitari that when she said that she wasn’t interested, McMahon pulled her on top of him, forced her jeans off, and penetrated her. The article notes that he never used the word ‘rape” when talking about it but described what would be conventionally considered rape and said, “Was she taken advantage of? Absolutely. Was she scared to death? Absolutely. Did she wanna do that? Probably not.”

Inzitari, who is the first person to back up Chatterton’s claims, recalled telling her, “You’re done. Your time’s numbered. You’re not gonna be here.” WWE stopped using her as a referee shortly after that. He said he kept quiet because he knew he would be blacklisted from the industry if he spoke up, adding, that he was disgusted by the new allegations and they inspired him to speak out.

Inzitari added, “I’ll tell you why I’m hopping on the bandwagon now, there’s worse stuff than that.”

The article notes that McMahon did not respond to a request for comment made through WWE and through lawyer Jerry McDevitt.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).