James Ellsworth is addressing the controversy that’s followed him since 2018, when he was accused of sending explicit Snapchat messages to an underage fan.
In an interview with Sportshadow, the former WWE star opened up about how the situation affected his life and why he believes it shouldn’t define him.
According to Ellsworth, the accusations never led to an arrest or even a police investigation—something he says proves his innocence. He acknowledged the weight of the situation, but stressed that people are quick to believe headlines without knowing the full story.
“The internet—like I said earlier—they read a headline or something and they just think it’s true, and they don’t let things play out or do actual research on it.”
While Ellsworth admitted he’s far from perfect, he emphasized being a family man with no criminal history. He pointed to his clean record as proof he never did what he was accused of.
“I’m a father of two. I’m a husband. I have a clean criminal record. I’ve never been arrested in my life. Cops have never talked to me about committing a crime ever in my life. So I think my record speaks for itself.”
The situation clearly left a mark, especially at first. Ellsworth likened it to being falsely accused in front of the entire world—with no charges, no arrest, and yet a permanent stain on his name.
“Imagine if you… got accused of committing a crime, and hundreds of thousands of people all over the world saw that you got accused of this. But nothing ever happens to you. You never get arrested. A cop never even talks to you. And you know it’s because you didn’t do anything. But there are people out there who might think you did because they read it on the internet. Like, that’s crazy, right?”
Despite the public fallout, Ellsworth said the timing of the pandemic and the death of his grandfather shifted his focus. He claimed the situation made him appreciate life and family more deeply.
“That was so long ago. And like I said, I’m happily married. I’ve got my two daughters. I just try to be the best father I can be, the best husband I can be. I’m not perfect… But I do my best to be a good person, and I think my record speaks for itself.”
He also expressed sympathy for real victims of crimes and said false allegations make it harder for true survivors to be taken seriously.
“I feel bad for those that actually have to go through that, because there are people who lie about going through that when they’re not really going through it. That’s not fair to the people who actually have gone through some stuff.”
Still, despite his claims of innocence, the situation wasn’t so black and white. In 2018, screenshots circulated showing messages between Ellsworth and a teenage girl named Kenzie. She asked what the police were going to do about it, though no legal action was taken. By 2021, her posts were deleted, and her social media account was suspended. Ellsworth was never charged.
To this day, Ellsworth maintains he did nothing wrong. But the internet never forgets—and for many, the controversy continues to raise questions about how public opinion forms around serious allegations.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
Do you think James Ellsworth deserves to move on from this, or is the situation too serious to ignore? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
November 14, 2025 2:22 pm
