The following contains references to sexual assault
Mr. McMahon delves briefly into the history of Rita Chatterton, the WWE’s first female referee who was effectively erased from the history of the wrestling organization. Mr. McMahon is a damning documentary series about Vince McMahon’s career in the world of wrestling. The documentary includes several accusations of wrongdoing throughout his career, ranging from financial crimes to more personal transgressions that led to Vince McMahon’s retirement.
Several women have come forward over the years claiming Vince McMahon has sexually harassed or sexually assaulted them. This includes Rita Chatterton, who was the first female referee in WWE history. Her experiences with McMahon eventually led her to leave the world of wrestling, only for the accusations to resurface in recent years during the downfall of McMahon’s control over the WWE. Here is the history of Rita Chatterton in the WWE and how her accusations of sexual assault against McMahon took decades to resolve.
Rita Chatterton Left WWE In 1986 (& Wrestling In 1993)
Vince McMahon Is Directly Tied To Why Chatterton Left Wrestling
Rita Chatterton was the first female referee in the WWE, but left the world of wrestling after accusing Vince McMahon of sexually assaulting her. After the death of her brother Christopher (himself an aspiring wrestler), Chatterton pursued a career in the industry. However, health complications kept her out of the ring as a wrestler. Instead, she trained as a referee and became the first female officiant for the World Wrestling Federation. Appearing as “Rita Marie,” Chatteron made her TV debut at a 1985 show in Madison Square Garden.
Just as her career was taking off within the WWF, Chatterton alleges that she was sexually assaulted by McMahon in 1986. She claimed that she was forced to perform sexual acts under threat of being “black-balled” if she refused. Subsequently, Chatterton refused to take part in events she knew McMahon would be involved in, and left the company later that year. She remained a licensed referee and the New York Athletic Commission had her referee untelevised wrestling events, but the death of her friend (and world-famous wrestler) André the Giant led her to leave the industry altogether in 1993.
Rita Chatterton Made Allegations Of Sexual Assault Against Vince McMahon In 1992
Chatterton Made The Accusations Public On Two News Shows
Rita Chatterton’s accusations against Vince McMahon became much more publicly prominent in 1992. A year before leaving wrestling, Chatterton was approached by journalist Geraldo Rivera. Chatterton spoke with Rivera on two different shows, openly claiming he had assaulted her in the summer of 1986 while they were both in a limousine. Although the statute of limitations for had expired by that point, this allowed Chatterton to openly accuse McMahon and try to hold him accountable.
At the time, McMahon vehemently denied the claim. Along with his wife, McMahon moved to sue both Chatterton and Rivera and claimed Chatterton had been fired because she wasn’t a competent referee. However, that lawsuit was dropped in 1994 amid several other scandals that were plaguing the wrestling league at the time. It would be decades before Chatterton spoke publicly about the incident again. Notably though, she wouldn’t be alone in accusing McMahon this time.
Vince McMahon Agreed To A Settlement With Rita Chatterton According To A 2023 Report
Chatterton’s Accusations Gained Renewed Attention After More Accusations Were Levied Against McMahon
In 2022, Rita Chatterton got another chance to discuss her experiences with McMahon. As reported by Wrestling Observer, Chatterton had been speaking with New York Magazine’s Abraham Riesman when Vince McMahon was accused of paying four women large sums of money to keep quiet about accusations of sexual misconduct and infidelity. Chatterton told her story to Riseman, which contributed to the increasingly grim public picture of McMahon and WWE culture painted by superstars like Maria Kanellis.
Notably, Riseman’s Intelligencer article received corroborating statements from Leonard Inzitari, a retired wrestler and close friend of Chatterton. Inzitari claims she’d told him the accusations after it happened, but they kept quiet out of fear for both their jobs. Later that year, Chatterton sued McMahon for $11.75 million in damages. According to a report released in 2023, Chatterton was among the women who received a cash settlement in lieu of a trial. McMahon maintained his innocence, but Chatterton’s accusations (coupled with other accusations of sexual misconduct and assault) helped lead to McMahon stepping down as the head of the WWE.
What Rita Chatterton Has Done Since Leaving Wrestling
Chatterton Became A Youth Counselor After Leaving Wrestling
After the death of André the Giant (and a brief encounter with McMahon at André’s memorial where McMahon apparently pretended to not know who she was), Chatterton stepped away from the wrestling space and eventually moved to Albany in upstate New York. A single mother and a delivery driver before becoming a wrestling referee, Chatterton found a new purpose as a youth counselor. She was in this job for decades.
During this time, Chatterton largely avoided the world of wrestling, even as the WWF (which was eventually rebranded as the WWE) continued to grow in cultural prominence. Chatterton retired in 2018 following an injury. She currently works as a mentor at Leonard Inzitari’s wrestling school. She remained out of the public eye until the new accusations against McMahon led her to publicly revisit her traumatic experiences with the wrestling promoter.
How WWE Erased Rita Chatterton From History
The WWE Claimed Jessika Carr Was Their First Female Ref In 2017
For years after making her accusations about McMahon publicly known, Chatterton was dismissed by McMahon and others in his orbit. Vince McMahon and his legal representatives claimed that Rita Chatterton was merely part of a conspiracy to target McMahon, and frequently threatened legal action against any renewed institutions about their encounter. As reported by The Sportster, WWE even tried to casually erase Rita Chatterton from the history of the sport.
As part of a promotion for a women’s wrestling event in 2017, the WWE claimed former Ring of Honor women’s wrestler Jessika Carr was the first female ref in the WWE. This drew pushback among some wrestling fans, who argued that Chatterton’s place in the league’s history deserved to be recognized. A few years later, Chatterton’s place in wrestling history was reaffirmed, thanks to becoming an honoree of multiple wrestling halls of fame.
Rita Chatterton Was Inducted Into The International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame & Women’s Wrestling Hall of Fame
Rita Chatterton Has Received The Attention She Deserves
It took decades, but Chatterton has received the attention and accolades she deserves for her role in expanding the scope of female roles in the wrestling world. In 2021, International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame founder Seth Turnder convinced Chatterton to accept the “Trailblazer Award” for her impact on the sport. Although initially hesitant, Chatterton agreed to the honor — which in turn helped lead to the interview with the Intelligencer.
In 2023, Chatterton was among the inaugural class of honorees for the Women’s Wrestling Hall of Fame. Chatterton has been open about her desire to speak out against McMahon, but has seemed torn about potentially formally returning to the world of wrestling. Her accusations are among the most damning that appear in Mr. McMahon, and highlight the deeply problematic elements at play in the way the WWE has operated in the past.
