US rapper Jay-Z has responded strongly to a lawsuit accusing him and fellow musician Sean “Diddy” Combs of drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl at a party in 2000.
The anonymous accuser claims the assault occurred during a house party following the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in New York City.
According to the lawsuit, an unnamed female celebrity was also present in the room during the alleged incident. Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, dismissed the lawsuit as a “blackmail attempt,” while Mr. Combs, who is currently in jail on unrelated charges, denied the allegations.
The legal action, originally filed in October, was amended on Sunday to include Mr. Carter as a defendant. Filed under New York’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, the lawsuit alleges the plaintiff, identified only as “Jane Doe,” suffered significant trauma due to the incident.
Tony Buzbee, the Texas-based lawyer representing the accuser, has filed multiple lawsuits against Mr. Combs in recent months, including charges of assault and rape. Mr. Combs is also awaiting trial in May 2025 on sex-trafficking charges. Mr. Carter’s legal team and publicist have yet to issue a formal comment.
In a statement shared on social media, Mr. Carter condemned the lawsuit, calling it an extortion attempt. “My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee,” he wrote.
“What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
Mr. Combs’s legal team also released a statement, describing the amended lawsuit as part of a pattern of “shameless publicity stunts” aimed at extracting settlements from high-profile figures. They maintained Mr. Combs’s innocence and expressed confidence in the judicial process.
According to the lawsuit, the accuser alleges she was dropped off at the VMAs in Manhattan by a friend in 2000. After failing to gain access to the event, she reportedly approached limousine drivers outside the venue, one of whom claimed to work for Mr. Combs.
The driver allegedly told her that she “fit what Diddy was looking for” and later drove her to a party at a white house. Upon arrival, Jane Doe says she was asked to sign a document, believed to be a non-disclosure agreement, before entering the premises. Inside, she observed widespread drug use and recognized several celebrities, according to the filing.
The lawsuit alleges that after consuming a drink offered by a waitress, Jane Doe began to feel unwell and went to a room to rest. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Combs, Mr. Carter, and an unnamed female celebrity, referred to as “Celebrity B,” entered the room.
The accuser claims Mr. Combs approached her with a “crazed look” and stated, “You are ready to party!” The filing asserts that Mr. Carter then held her down and raped her, followed by Mr. Combs, while Celebrity B watched. Jane Doe reportedly fought back and managed to escape when Mr. Combs momentarily backed away.
The plaintiff, who is seeking unspecified damages, states in the lawsuit that she continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression as a result of the alleged assaults. In his statement, Mr. Carter expressed concern for his family, particularly his children, as they grapple with the public nature of the allegations.
“My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims,” he wrote. “My only heartbreak is for my family and the cruelty and greed of people.” Both artists have denied the allegations, vowing to fight the claims through the legal system.
