Tom Cole, Key Accuser In WWE Ring Boy Scandal Commits Suicide According To Brother

Key Accuser In WWF/WWE Ring Boy Scandal Passes Away

Tom Cole has passed away as a result of a suicide, according to his brother Lee Cole. In a Twitter post, Lee Cole stated his brother Tom took his own life on Friday, February 12.

Tom Cole worked for WWF(WWE) in the late 80s and early 90s, alleging Terry Garvin (Terry Joval) sexually harassed him during his time as a ring boy for the company. He also made accusations against others in the company including ring announcer Mel Philips and Pat Patterson.

My brother Tom Committed suicide a couple of hours ago. Vince Mc Mahon and his wife Linda let child molesters into their companies years ago and did everything possible to cover up what they did to my brother. I hope you can sleep good at night Vince. Our family suffers. Thank U

— Lee Cole III (@leeroycole) February 13, 2021

https://twitter.com/leeroycole/status/1360484260046663680?s=20

My brother was a good man, a good father until the pain was to much to bear. Remember this company WWE would take underage children across state lines. He was a perfect victim, father not around and alcoholic mother. These men knew what to look for.

— Lee Cole III (@leeroycole) February 13, 2021

Note to Vince and Linda, I will do everything in my power "legally" and make sure that you answer for the lives you have destroyed. I ask twitter to please not let these people shut me down. They are despicable human beings. Believe me they will come for me. #thisisfortommy

— Lee Cole III (@leeroycole) February 13, 2021

 

Due to Linda McMahon’s involvement in WWE, a large list of scandals were outlined in vetting documents the President Trump administration uncovered as part of putting together his cabinet of top-level U.S government officials.

WWF Ring Boy Tom Cole Said He Was Harassed By Several WWF Employees. “Tom Cole, now 20, started working for the WWF in 1985 as ring boy, a gofer, in Yonkers, N.Y., when he was 13 years old. Cole said that while on tour with the wrestling show, a WWF employee would film Cole with a video camera while fondling the boy’s feet and masturbating. ‘He had a foot fetish,’ Cole said. ‘He would play with all the young boys’ feet for hours at a time.’ … Cole said he was harassed by several WWF employees. He said he was grabbed in the genitals numerous times by another top WWF official, but never said anything because he was scared. Cole said the sexual harassment continued unabated until he was fired in February 1990 after rebuffing an advance by still another WWF official. In that incident, Cole said, he was driven to the WWF official’s house, where he was asked to smoke marijuana, snort cocaine and have homosexual sex. When Cole rejected his advances, the official refused to take him home, Cole said. So Cole slept in the WWF official’s van in the driveway. The next day Cole was fired.” (Jeff Savage, “Sleaze No Illusion In World Of Wrestling,” The San Diego Union Tribune, 3/11/92)

• NOTE: Cole Later Filed Suit Against WWF Employees Mel Phillips, Pat Patterson, And Terry Garvin. (Thomas Cole Vs. World Wrestling Federation, Mel Phillips, Pat Patterson, And Terry Garvin, U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut (New Haven), Filed 6/30/94)

 

Court documents obtained by David Bixenspan reveal Cole signed an agreement with Titan Sports (WWE/WWF) to not give interviews, or make statements regarding his complaint. In return he was paid $55,000, and given the opportunity to be a ring announcer.

On April 8, 1992, plaintiff signed an agreement with Titan (the “Cole/Titan Agreement”) which provided, among other things, that Titan would not ask plaintiff to give interviews, make statements, or otherwise appear on behalf of WWF with respect to the circumstances and claims raised in the March 1992 complaint, and that Titan would pay plaintiff the amount of $55,000 (primarily representing back salary), re-employ plaintiff, and provide plaintiff the opportunity to do ring announcing and, if qualified, be given regular ring announcing jobs. Also on April 8, 1992, plaintiff signed a companion agreement1 among Titan, the Fuohsberg Firm, and himself (the ”Fuchaberg/Titan/Cole Agreement”) which provided, among other things, that Titan would pay the Fuahsberg Firm $82,535.00 for its fees for representing plaintiff. 25. Titan has not provided plaintiff with any ring announcing opportunities and repeatedly has asked plaintiff to make public comment to deny the substance of the claims raised in the March 1992 complaint, thereby breaching its agreement with plaintiff.

in 1999, The Wrestling Perspective published an interview with Tom Cole, where he detailed the allegations made against employees of Titan Sports.

David Bixenspan detailed the case in an extensive article for Business Insider.