Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter is claiming “victory” after attorney Tony Buzbee dropped a civil lawsuit alleging the hip-hop mogul and Sean “Diddy” Combs took turns sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2000.
Both Carter and Combs had steadfastly denied the anonymous accuser’s claims. Then on Friday, Feb. 14, the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be reopened.
“Today is a victory. The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed. This civil lawsuit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims,” Jay-Z said in a statement on the Roc Nation website and social media channels.
“I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed,” he added.
Roc Nation also posted a copy of the signed notice of voluntary dismissal on X (formerly Twitter).
Related: Damon Dash Says Black Media Gave Jay-Z ‘A Pass’ for Decades
— Roc Nation (@RocNation) February 14, 2025
Meanwhile, Diddy’s legal team released a statement saying this is the “first of many” lawsuits they believe will be dismissed.
“Sean Combs has never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor. No number of lawsuits, sensationalized allegations, or media theatrics will change that reality. We will continue to fight these baseless claims and hold those responsible. This is just the first of many that will not hold up in a court of law,” the statement read.
The lawsuit was initially filed in October 2024 by Buzbee on behalf of an unnamed “Jane Doe” accuser in federal court in the Southern District of New York.
The complaint listed Diddy as a defendant and alleged the Bad Boy Records founder took turns raping the teenage accuser with an unnamed male celebrity, while an unnamed female celebrity watched. The lawsuit said the incident happened at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in New York City hosted by Combs.
Then on Dec. 8, Buzbee filed an amended complaint in federal court, which named Jay-Z as the male celebrity.
In his statement on Friday, Jay-Z insisted he had not settled with the accuser.
“Today’s complete dismissal without a settlement by the 1-800 attorney is yet another confirmation that these lawsuits are built on falsehoods, not facts. For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by an attorney more focused on media headlines than legal merit. Just like this claim, the others will fall apart because there is no truth to them,” his statement read.
In December, NBC News aired an interview with the accuser who was shown in silhouette.
The woman claimed she called her father after the incident, and said he drove several hours from his home in Rochester, New York, to New York City to pick his daughter up that night. However, her father told NBC he didn’t remember picking his daughter up that night in 2000.
Jane Doe, now in her 30s, admitted she was fuzzy on some of the details. “I have made some mistakes,” she said about her recollection of the alleged assault.
While he no longer needs to worry about this lawsuit, Diddy is still facing about three dozen other complaints alleging sexual abuse. The mogul has denied all of the allegations through his attorneys.
He is currently jailed in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center as he awaits trial on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. He has pleaded not guilty on all counts.
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