Jay-Z, the renowned rapper and entrepreneur whose real name is Shawn Carter, faces serious accusations in a lawsuit filed on Sunday, alleging that he and Sean “Diddy” Combs raped a 13-year-old girl in 2000.
The plaintiff, who has chosen to remain anonymous and is referred to as “Jane Doe,” claims that the assault occurred after she was taken to an after-party following the MTV Video Music Awards.
The federal lawsuit was first filed in October in the Southern District of New York, initially naming Combs as a defendant. It was refiled on Sunday to include Carter.
Attorney Tony Buzbee, representing the plaintiff, did not offer any comment.
In response to the allegations, Carter issued a lengthy statement on Sunday evening, calling the claims “idiotic” and criticizing Buzbee for what he deemed unprofessional conduct. “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?” Carter stated in an interview with NBC News. He emphasized that genuine victims deserve full justice.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment on whether the office is investigating the lawsuit.
Buzbee has recently filed multiple lawsuits keeping the identities of other complainants confidential, accusing Combs of sexual assault and rape. This case marks the first time he has included another high-profile figure as a defendant.
Legal representatives for Combs denounced the lawsuits as “shameless publicity stunts,” claiming they are attempts to extort money from celebrities concerned about the spread of false information. The statement asserted that Combs has “full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process,” maintaining that he has never sexually assaulted anyone, regardless of gender or age.
In September, Combs was charged with racketeering, sex trafficking, and other crimes, and is currently held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center after being denied bail for the third time last month. His trial is set for May 5.
Prosecutors indicated that they might bring additional charges against Combs with a new indictment.
Prior to the refiled lawsuit, Buzbee indicated that Carter received a request for mediation aimed at resolving the conflict. Following this, Carter initiated his own legal action against the accuser’s lawyers. He expressed in his statement, “You have made a terrible error in judgment thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same. I’m not from your world. I’m a young man who made it out of the projects in Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children.”
