A woman who previously brought a high-profile civil lawsuit accusing hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and musician Sean Combs of sexual assault has formally retracted her claims, admitting that she never met the artist.
The legal saga began in late 2024 when the individual, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, filed a complaint alleging that the two prominent entertainers had drugged and assaulted her at a post-event gathering following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000, when she was thirteen years old. Both artists strongly rejected the accusations at the time, labeling them entirely fabricated and part of an extortion effort.
The claimant voluntarily abandoned the lawsuit early last year. Following the dismissal, Jay-Z—whose legal name is Shawn Carter—pursued legal action against both the accuser and her legal representatives.
In a sworn statement submitted to the court, the Alabama resident explicitly stated that the rapper had never assaulted her or engaged in any improper behavior. She added that she had never interacted with him in any capacity and confirmed that her prior accusations, including claims involving a third celebrity observer, were entirely untrue.
The declaration also addressed the origins of the false allegations. The woman explained that she encountered a social media advertisement in late 2024 seeking individuals with potential claims against Combs. She stated that the prompt inadvertently resurfaced unrelated past trauma, leading her to connect with a legal team.
According to her recent statements, the initial lawsuit was submitted without her reviewing a final draft or providing explicit authorization. She further alleged that her former legal counsel moved forward without proper background checks or verification of the claims.
The claimant noted that she faced no intimidation or pressure from the musician or his associates to alter her story, and confirmed she received no financial compensation for submitting her retraction. Consequently, she has been dismissed as a defendant in Carter’s ongoing lawsuit against her former attorneys.
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represented the claimant and numerous other plaintiffs involved in litigation against Combs, stated that he had not yet reviewed the new filing. He maintained that multiple attorneys had interviewed the client prior to his direct involvement, during which she consistently maintained her original account.
During the initial phase of the litigation, Buzbee had accused Carter's investigative team of aggressively pressuring the witness. In response to the latest developments, the rapper's camp has emphasized the severe emotional and reputational toll the false claims inflicted on his family and loved ones.
While the primary accuser has been removed from the cross-complaint, Carter's lawsuit against the legal team remains active. Meanwhile, Combs is currently serving a prison sentence following his conviction last year on prostitution-related charges involving former partners.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
