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New York Magazine featured a piece by Abraham Riesman, author of the forthcoming unauthorized biography of WWE head Vince McMahon Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America centered around the allegations by former WWF referee Rita "Marie" Chatterton that she was sexually assaulted by Vince McMahon in a limo in July 1986.
Chatterton first made the allegations public in the early 1990s during a period of time where a number of scandals plagued the WWF (as it was known then), fueling coverage on a number of tabloid TV and talk shows, including Now It Can Be Told, which was hosted by Geraldo Rivera as well as The Geraldo Rivera Show. In those appearances, Chatterton alleged that McMahon raped her in his limo but that a case could not be pursued due to the statue of limitations having expired.
Chatteron was interviewed for the New York Magazine piece by Riesman in what I believe was Chatterton's first interview in decades. In the piece, Chatterton did not want to go into details about the incident but former WWF enhancement talent Mario Mancini (real name Leonard Inzitari, who today helps run Parade Alley Pro Wrestling in Connecticut with Paul Roma) went on record that shortly after the alleged incident in 1986, Chatterton (who trained at the same wrestling school as Mancini) confided in him that something had happened
The article notes:
"Inzitari doesn’t use the word rape while talking about what happened. But he describes something that sounds like the conventional definition of that term.
“Was she taken advantage of? Absolutely,” Inzitari says. “Was she scared to death? Absolutely. Did she wanna do that? Probably not.”
Chatterton stated that she was told she would be getting a $500,000 contract and told Mancini was at the time WWF was going to get her on the covers of major women's magazines at the time, but Mancini warned her to stay away from McMahon and "if you do anything with him, you're gonna be gone." There was no contract or magazine shoots.
After the alleged incident, Chatterton was booked less and less by the WWF over time, working non-televised shows she was assigned by the New York State Athletic Commission (who in that time period had a legitimate ability to assign officials to events) before departing the business.
Chatterton stated that she hired a lawyer immediately after the incident in 1986 but decided not to pursue anything because it would be an "uphill battle" with McMahon's word against hers and at the time, her parents were older and in ill health. After her parents passed away in the early 1990s, Chatterton made her allegations known publicly.
In the piece, Chatterton stated that she told two people within weeks of the alleged incident - Mario Mancini and the late Andre the Giant. Mancini noted that the time, he kept quiet, citing, "You just keep your mouth shut, because it’s Vince McMahon...What are you gonna do, stooge on Vince McMahon? You’re gonna be blackballed from the wrestling business!”
Mancini stated to New York Magazine that he was coming forward and going on the record in 2022 because of the current investigation by the WWE Board of Directors that was spurred on by emails made to the company's Board over a $5 million payout and NDA to a former WWE employee who had a relationship with Vince McMahon.
On McMahon, Mancini commented, "He’s dug himself such a deep hole that I’m just tired of it. I can’t do it anymore.”
The Wall Street Journal reported several weeks ago that the investigation has led to the discovery of other NDAs involving McMahon and John Laurinaitis, who is on a leave as the company's head of Talent Relations as a result of the investigation. McMahon himself has "voluntarily" stepped down as the WWE CEO and Chairman with his daughter, Stephanie McMahon, named the Interim Chairperson and CEO by the Board of Directors as the investigation continues. Over a half dozen legal firms are investigating WWE in advance of potential class action suits as well.
New York Magazine notes that neither Vince McMahon did not respond to a request for comment made via his and WWE's long-time attorney Jerry McDevitt. Today's story is currently listed as the most viewed piece on NYM's website.
Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America is slated to be published in March 2023.
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