Jay-Z files defamation lawsuit against woman who dropped rape allegations

Jay-Z, the celebrated music mogul, has launched a defamation lawsuit against an anonymous woman, referred to as "Jane Doe," who accused him of raping her when she was 13. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Alabama, claims the allegations are baseless and driven by financial motives. Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, asserts that the accusations are part of a calculated effort to tarnish his reputation, both personally and professionally.

The legal action comes after Jane Doe withdrew a previous lawsuit last month, in which she accused Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs of sexually assaulting her at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party in 2000. Jay-Z has consistently denied these claims, and the case was dismissed after Doe voluntarily stepped back. However, Jay-Z’s new lawsuit alleges that Doe and her attorneys, Tony Buzbee and David Fortney, orchestrated the accusations for monetary gain, describing their actions as "soullessly motivated by greed."

Jay-Z, seen here at a public event, calls the accusations "laughable if not for the serious consequencesGetty Images

Jay-Z’s lawsuit points to inconsistencies in Doe’s story, including discrepancies in her timeline and details of the alleged incident. For instance, Doe claimed she was picked up by her father after the assault, but her father reportedly denied making such a trip. Additionally, Jay-Z’s legal team points out that he and Combs were not at the location Doe described during the time of the alleged assault. These inconsistencies, Jay-Z argues, undermine the credibility of her claims.

Despite withdrawing her lawsuit, Doe maintains that her allegations are true. In a separate legal filing, she stated that she stands by her claims but chose not to pursue them further. She also alleged that Jay-Z’s representatives pressured her to retract her accusations, which she refused to do. Jay-Z’s lawsuit, however, claims that Doe admitted to his representatives that no assault occurred and that her lawyer, Buzbee, coerced her into pursuing the case for financial leverage.

Buzbee has dismissed Jay-Z’s lawsuit as an attempt to intimidate Doe, calling it "frivolous" and vowing to address it in court. Meanwhile, Jay-Z has emphasised the emotional toll the accusations have taken on his family, describing the claims as "laughable" but deeply damaging. His lawsuit seeks to clear his name and hold Doe and her legal team accountable for what he calls a malicious and fabricated narrative.

The case continues to unfold, with both sides presenting conflicting accounts. Jay-Z’s lawsuit underscores his determination to defend his reputation, while Doe remains steadfast in her allegations, setting the stage for a contentious legal battle.