Jay-Z responded with a lengthy statement calling the allegations “idiotic.” The accuser is anonymous.
Dec. 8, 2024, 3:36 PM PST
Rapper and entrepreneur Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs have been named in a lawsuit alleging they sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl in 2000 after an MTV Video Music Awards after-party. The accuser, identified as “Jane Doe,” refiled the lawsuit on Sunday in the Southern District of New York, adding Jay-Z as a defendant.
The lawsuit, initially filed in October, accuses both men of raping the girl at a party in New York City. Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee represents the plaintiff but declined to comment on the case.
Jay-Z strongly denied the allegations in a statement, describing them as “idiotic” and accusing Buzbee of unprofessional conduct. “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one. Whoever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away,” Carter said. He emphasized that the accuser deserved “real justice” if the claims were true.
The lawsuit details a harrowing account of the alleged events. The accuser claims she was driven to a house party by a limousine driver, who told her she “fit what Diddy was looking for.” Upon arrival, she says she was required to sign a nondisclosure agreement and consumed a drink that made her feel disoriented. She alleges that both Carter and Combs assaulted her in a bedroom while a female celebrity watched. The lawsuit also claims the victim managed to flee the house afterward and called her father from a gas station.
In response, Combs’ legal team dismissed the accusations as “shameless publicity stunts” aimed at extorting money from celebrities. “Mr. Combs has full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process. In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor,” his representatives said.
Combs is also facing criminal charges for racketeering, sex trafficking, and related offenses. Federal prosecutors in New York charged him in September, and he remains in custody pending trial, which is scheduled for May 2025.
The lawsuit, filed under New York’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, seeks unspecified damages. Buzbee noted in court filings that he had previously approached Carter with a request for mediation, which was declined. In response, Carter filed a countersuit against the plaintiff’s attorneys.
In his statement, Carter expressed frustration at the personal toll the allegations have taken. “My only heartbreak is for my family. My wife and I must sit down with our children, one of whom is at an age where their friends will likely see the press, and explain the cruelty and greed of people,” he said.
Both Jay-Z and Combs have vowed to fight the allegations, insisting they are baseless. As the case unfolds, it underscores the complexities of celebrity culture, allegations of abuse, and the pursuit of justice.
