Billionaire Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter worth $2.5 billion(Forbes) and Sean “Diddy” Combs have been accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl during an after-party following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, according to an amended civil lawsuit filed on Sunday.
The filing also claims an unnamed celebrity witnessed the alleged assaults but did not intervene.
The lawsuit, brought by Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, originally included Carter as “Celebrity A” before naming him in the amendment.
The lawsuit, filed in October, was amended on Sunday to add Carter as a defendant.
The woman, identified as Jane Doe, alleges she was 13 years old at the time and was raped by both men after being invited to the party by a limousine driver.
According to the filing, she felt woozy after consuming a drink at the party, wandered into a bedroom, and was allegedly assaulted first by Carter and then by Combs. The lawsuit states she managed to hit Combs and escape.
Carter is the first celebrity accused of assault in connection with the allegations against Combs. Doe’s attorneys reportedly reached out to Carter, requesting a mediation to resolve the matter.
The lawsuit claims Carter responded with a “frivolous lawsuit” and “orchestrated a conspiracy of harassment, bullying, and intimidation” targeting Doe’s legal team and their associates in an effort to discredit the claims and discourage further action.
“Plaintiff chose to file this amendment as a result of the egregious conduct perpetuated by Carter,” the lawsuit states.
JayZ’s response
Jay-Z responded to the allegations in a statement posted on Roc Nation’s X account, denying the claims and accusing Buzbee of extortion.
“My lawyer received a blackmail attempt… from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee. What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” Jay-Z wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect!”
The music mogul questioned the decision to file a civil lawsuit rather than pursue criminal charges. “Whoever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away. These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case,” he stated.
Jay-Z expressed concern about the impact on his family, saying, “My only heartbreak is for my family. My wife and I will have to sit our children down… and explain the cruelty and greed of people.”
What to know
Attorney Buzbee defended the lawsuit in a statement to ABC News, asserting its seriousness. On Instagram, he added, “I also won’t allow anyone to scare my clients into silence. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and I am quite certain the sun is coming.”
Diddy’s legal team dismissed the allegations as a “shameless publicity stunt,” describing them as part of a broader attempt to pressure settlements.
“Mr. Combs has full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process,” his representatives said. “In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone.”
- This lawsuit joins a growing list of legal actions targeting high-profile figures in the entertainment industry. Many similar cases have been dismissed because plaintiffs chose to remain anonymous.
- However, in this instance, the judge ruled that the plaintiff, now an adult, had sufficient grounds to proceed anonymously.
- Both Carter and Combs have denied the allegations and vowed to contest them vigorously in court.
- The case has drawn widespread attention, raising questions about accountability in the entertainment industry and the challenges of litigating decades-old allegations.
