WWE and Montez Ford face a 14-count lawsuit filed by a security officer over an alleged lap dance during a live RAW broadcast.
Legal troubles have emerged for WWE and one of its top stars following an incident during a live television broadcast in Illinois. A Cook County Sheriff’s officer has officially filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County naming WWE, wrestler Montez Ford (real name Kenneth Crawford), and WWE subsidiary Event Services, LLC, as co-defendants.
The legal complaint stems from a July 2026 episode of WWE RAW in Rosemont, Illinois, where plaintiff Noel Lucas was working off-duty security. Lucas alleges that Ford engaged in an non-consensual, sexually suggestive physical interaction with him during the live broadcast and that WWE subsequently distributed the footage across its digital platforms.
Allegations and Breakdown of the Legal Filing
The 14-count lawsuit cites serious legal violations, including assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and alleged infractions under the Illinois Gender Violence Act.
- According to the formal complaint, Ford approached Lucas near ringside without permission, with the filing stating, “Defendant Crawford then began performing a sexually provocative dance immediately in front of and over Plaintiff [Lucas], repeatedly thrusting and gyrating his hips and pelvis towards Plaintiff, performing a sexualized ‘lap dance.'”
- The suit specifically details physical contact during the entrance, noting that Ford’s “left inner thigh repeatedly rubbed against Plaintiff’s leg.”
- Lucas asserts that the incident led to public mockery and emotional distress for his family, stating his children faced ridicule at school after WWE disseminated clips online.
- Attorney Whitney Barr spoke on behalf of Lucas, stating, “Like so many law enforcement officers, Mr. Lucas works a second job in order to better provide for his children.”
The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary and punitive damages, legal fees, and an injunction barring WWE from utilizing Lucas’ identity under the Illinois Right of Publicity Act. A case management hearing is currently scheduled for December 10. None of the allegations have been proven in a court of law.
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