Lawsuit Filed Against WWE, Matt Riddle & Others Regarding Alleged Sexual Assault

Update – 9:30 October 8, 2020 – WWE has denied getting served with a lawsuit in a statement made to PWInsider:

“WWE has not been served with a lawsuit by Ms. Tavel. However, if served, we will vigorously defend ourselves and contest it.”

Samantha Tavel (known in wrestling as Candy Cartwright) has filed a lawsuit against WWE, Matt Riddle, Gabe Sapolsky and Evolve Wrestling.

As per Fightful, Tavel is seeking $10 million per defendant after filing the suit on October 8, 2020 with the Circuit Court of Cook County Illinois.

The lawsuit alleges that Riddle began sexually assaulting Tavel in April 2017 after an EVOLVE show in the parking lot. It alleges that Riddle then bragged to Evolve owner Gabe Sapolsky and the entitites and WWE tacitly approved of Riddle’s actions.

Another instance the lawsuit alleged was ‘on or about’ May 19, 2018, Riddle forced Tavel to engage in oral sex with him by choking her. It alleges this was done on a bus with other Evolve talent present.

The suit also said that WWE has condoned sexual assault in the workplace for over 30 years. Complaints were made towards WWE, Evolve and Sapolsky as ‘Toxic misogyny, and the company’s duty to refrain from assisting and encouraging the alleged totrious conduct’.

The suit goes on to allege that Tavel was booked for WWE and Evolve ‘on or about’ January 31, 2020. It alleges that Tavel refused to engage in sexual actions with Riddle despite being forced prior, and Riddle then informed WWE and Evolve resulting in Tavel losing those bookings due to “issues with talent”.

It was noted that attorneys on behalf of Matt Riddle plan on countersuing. Full details are available in Fightful’s report at this link.

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