On August 30, former AEW announcer Kevin Kelly and former ROH talents Brent & Brandon Tate filed a lawsuit against Tony Khan, All Elite Wrestling, and Ian Riccaboni before the Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas.
In the lawsuit, Kevin Kelly stated that Ian Riccaboni defamed him by accusing him of being a member of QAnon. Kelly is seeking monetary damages from AEW and Ian Riccaboni. The former AEW announcer claimed the company had breached his contract, and the situation has made it difficult for him to find a job elsewhere.
Last April, AEW President Tony Khan stated during the ROH Supercard of Honor media call that Brent and Brandon Tate were released from AEW for not appearing on several shows. Tate brothers denied Khan’s claims. Both stated on social media that they weren’t able to appear on the shows due to miscommunication between them and AEW officials. Khan’s claim is at the center of their defamation suit.
Kevin Kelly and Tate brothers are requesting the court certify a class-action suit against All Elite Wrestling, claiming the company has misclassified its wrestlers as independent contractors rather than employees.
Stephen P. New, an attorney for Kevin Kelly and Tate brothers, issued the following statement:
“How fitting and appropriate that on Labor Day weekend a lawsuit is filed seeking to correct, among other things, the abhorrent practice of misclassification of pro wrestlers as independent contractors and not employees. All AEW wrestlers are now members of this putative class.”