The renowned rapper and businessman, Shawn Carter, widely known as Jay-Z, has been named in a civil lawsuit alleging the rape of a 13-year-old girl 24 years ago.
Filed by a woman identified only as Jane Doe, the lawsuit also accuses Sean “Diddy” Combs of being involved in the incident, which allegedly occurred during an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in New York City in 2000.
The initial lawsuit was filed in October with the names of two celebrities redacted.
However, an amended complaint filed on December 8 specifically names Jay-Z, as a co-defendant alongside Combs.
The complaint alleges that Jane Doe was drugged and assaulted by the two men at a private residence after being driven to the afterparty.
It also claims that another unnamed female celebrity witnessed the assault without intervening.
“Defendant Sean Combs, along with his longtime friend and collaborator Shawn Carter (a/k/a ‘Jay-Z’), drugged and raped a thirteen-year-old girl at an afterparty following the 2000 Video Music Awards,” the lawsuit states.
Jay-Z issued a firm denial of the accusations through a statement posted on Roc Nation’s X (formerly Twitter) account, calling the claims a “blackmail attempt.”
In the post, Carter criticized the plaintiff’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, for what he described as a calculated attempt to force a settlement.
“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,” Carter wrote.
Carter also called for a criminal investigation, asserting that “real justice” should be sought if such a crime had occurred.
“You have made a terrible error in judgment thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same,” he continued. “We protect children; you seem to exploit people for personal gain.”
According to the PEOPLE, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team also denied the allegations, describing the amended lawsuit as part of an ongoing campaign of “shameless publicity stunts” by Buzbee to extract payments from celebrities.
“This amended complaint and the recent extortion lawsuit against Mr. Buzbee expose his barrage of lawsuits against Mr. Combs for what they are: shameless publicity stunts, designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear having lies spread about them,” the statement read.
Combs’ legal representatives expressed confidence in the judicial process, asserting that “the truth will prevail” in court.
Reacting, Jane Doe’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations said “The pleading speaks for itself. This is a very serious matter that will be litigated in court,” he said.
The case adds to growing scrutiny over allegations of misconduct in the entertainment industry, but both Carter and Combs have vehemently denied the claims. The
