The ongoing legal troubles surrounding Vince McMahon took another strange turn this week, as conflicting reports emerged about the status of a federal investigation into the former WWE Chairman.

Last month, McMahon reached a settlement with the SEC after failing to disclose NDA payments made to Janel Grant—who is currently suing him for sex trafficking and abuse—as well as another unnamed woman. At the time, McMahon seemed to suggest that the federal probe into him had concluded. However, that narrative was cast into doubt when an appellate court ruled that over 200 documents, previously withheld by McMahon’s legal team, must be handed over to a grand jury.

The revelation of this ruling suggested that the investigation was still active. But now, McMahon’s lawyer, Robert W. Allen, is pushing back on that notion. Speaking to the New York Post, Allen stated definitively that the case had been closed.

“This is simply the result of an appeal of a procedural matter that was argued five months ago. We have been in consistent communication with the government since that time and understand, with no ambiguity, that the investigation has definitively concluded and will not result in charges.”

A separate source familiar with the case also told The Post that federal prosecutors had declined to press charges at some point between September 18 and January 10—the same day McMahon settled with the SEC.

Investigation Over or More to Come?

Despite these statements, there’s still a lingering question: If the case is truly closed, why did the appellate court rule that the documents must be turned over to a grand jury? The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has declined to comment, leaving the situation murky.

For now, McMahon and his legal team maintain that he is in the clear, but with ongoing litigation from Grant and the SEC settlement fresh in the public eye, this saga may not be over just yet.

The legal troubles surrounding Vince McMahon continue to mount as a federal appeals court has ruled that his former attorney improperly withheld key documents from a grand jury investigation. The case revolves around multimillion-dollar settlements McMahon allegedly used to cover up accusations of sexual misconduct by two former WWE employees.

According to the Associated Press, the 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals in New York upheld a previous ruling, determining that the withheld documents were not protected by attorney-client privilege due to an exception for “crime or fraud.”

The Allegations Against McMahon

Federal prosecutors argue that McMahon and his legal team went to great lengths to circumvent WWE’s internal policies and fabricate records to hide the settlements from company auditors. While McMahon reportedly used personal funds for the settlements, the court concluded that his actions—along with those of his attorney—misled WWE’s auditors and failed to properly disclose the financial agreements.

The lawsuit involves two settlements:

• $3 million to one former employee
• $7.5 million to another, who later filed a lawsuit against McMahon

One of the women involved, Janel Grant, claims she was coerced into leaving WWE and signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Her lawsuit argues that the NDA should be invalidated because McMahon failed to pay the full settlement amount.

Court Ruling and the Grand Jury Investigation

McMahon’s lawyer had already provided numerous documents to the grand jury but attempted to withhold 208 communications, citing attorney-client privilege. The appeals court rejected this argument, ordering the documents to be turned over, as they were allegedly part of a scheme to keep WWE and its auditors in the dark.

The court ruling stated:

“Because the settlement agreements resolving the Victims’ claims were ‘structured and negotiated … to keep them hidden from (the Company),’ the district court found that ‘all communications about the claims and settlement agreements were made in furtherance of the criminal scheme to keep (the Company) and its auditors unaware of the allegations.’”

While the ruling does not explicitly name McMahon, a source confirmed that he is the unnamed former CEO referenced in the case.

What Happens Next?

The current status of the grand jury investigation remains unclear, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan has not provided further comment. McMahon’s representatives have also not responded publicly, though he has denied any wrongdoing in the past.

This ruling comes months after McMahon settled SEC charges, agreeing to pay a $400,000 fine and reimburse WWE $1.3 million for failing to properly disclose the settlement payments.

With the legal walls seemingly closing in, the question now is whether this latest development could lead to criminal charges against the former WWE chairman.