US rapper, Jay Z, has filed a lawsuit accusing prominent attorney, Tony Buzbee, of orchestrating a targeted online smear campaign, including the manipulation of Wikipedia pages, in an attempt to damage his personal and professional reputation.
The dispute began in December when Buzbee filed a lawsuit alleging that Jay Z raped a 13-year-old girl in 2000.
Jay Z, 55, strongly denied the accusations and condemned Buzbee for what he described as an extortion attempt.
“This lawyer seems to have a pattern of these type of theatrics. I have no idea how you have come to be such a deplorable human Mr. Buzbee. I’m more than prepared to deal with your type,” he had said.
In February, the woman identified as Jane Doe voluntarily dropped the lawsuit without receiving a settlement. Following that development, Jay Z’s legal team escalated the matter by filing their own lawsuit on Monday, claiming that Buzbee and his firm engaged in a deliberate attempt to manipulate public perception through Wikipedia.
“In violation of Wikipedia’s rules, Buzbee directed his employees to edit Wikipedia pages to enhance Buzbee’s image and damage Mr. Carter’s and Roc Nation’s reputations,” the complaint stated.
The lawsuit alleges that users operating from an IP address connected to Buzbee’s law firm made over 100 favorable edits to the attorney’s own Wikipedia page.
It further claims that after the lawsuit was filed, media coverage stirred speculation that Jay Z’s business relationships could suffer, which, the rapper’s team says, was exactly what the defendants intended.
“After Defendants filed Doe’s lawsuit, the media reported that other businesses could end their deals with Roc Nation and would likely force these business partners to speak out and address how the allegations would affect or even end their business relationship.
This is exactly the result defendants intended, banking on the fact that Mr. Carter would fear the reputational assassination, cave and pay.”
While the lawsuit outlines the alleged Wikipedia edits, it does not specify the nature of the changes made.
Jay Z’s legal team is also seeking damages, asserting that the rape allegations led to significant financial losses. They claim the rapper lost $20 million in income, was denied a $55 million personal credit line, and that a company associated with him was turned down for a $115 million loan.
