Since news of the WWE board investigating Vince McMahon for paying off a former employee when she left in January 2022 with $3 million in “hush money” broke, more accusations of his past have come to light.
The investigation is reportedly digging up other non-disclosure deals McMahon has made with former employees, an accusation that was made in 1992 was never proven one way or the other and McMahon hasn’t said a word about it.
For whatever reason, Rita Chatterton is passed over as being the first female referee in the WWE and possibly pro wrestling in general, and some believe it has to do with her accusing McMahon of raping her on July 16, 1986.
Breaking boundaries
The WWE advertises Jessika Carr as their first female referee, but Chatterton really owns that distinction as she debuted in the WWE in 1984 before reportedly being fired in 1986.
Chatterton was known as Rita Marie in the then WWF in the 1980s, and she appeared on Geraldo Rivera’s show Now It Can Be Told on April 3, 1992.
She claimed that on July 16, 1986, McMahon tried to force her to perform oral sex on him in his limo, and when she refused to do as he said, she said he raped her.
She said she worked for the WWE three or four more times afterwards, and explained that she remained quiet for her parents’ sake as they were both very ill. He mother died a year before and her father two weeks prior to her interview with Rivera.
She hoped to reach an out of court settlement.
Former WWE wrestler “Dr. D” David Shultz corroborated her story and they were seeking a $5 million dollar settlement.
McMahon and his attorney’s fought the suit and refused to settle, and they also countersued Geraldo Rivera for defaming McMahon and claimed that it was a shakedown attempt that came out of nowhere.
The countersuit was later dropped when McMahon faced charges in the famed steroid trial, and the statute of limitations ran out without Chatterton seemingly never making a police report on the incident.
It’s important to note that the only ones that know what really happened in the limo is McMahon and Chatterton, and anything beyond that is speculation.
There is a chance more will be uncovered during the current investigation, especially given reports that she continued to work a handful of dates with the WWE through 1987 despite claiming she was fired in 1986.
What are your thoughts on the accusation? Was Chatterton telling the truth or was McMahon? Let us know in the comments below.
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