Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has been named in a civil lawsuit accusing him of drugging and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs at an afterparty following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. The lawsuit, initially filed in October 2024 with redacted names, was amended on December 8 to include Jay-Z as a defendant. The plaintiff, identified only as Jane Doe, claims the incident occurred at a New York City residence, with another unnamed celebrity allegedly witnessing the attack.
Jay-Z has categorically denied the allegations, describing them as “heinous” and accusing the plaintiff’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, of attempting to extort him. Through a statement posted by Roc Nation, Jay-Z stated, “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one… We protect children, you seem to exploit people for personal gain.” He vowed to expose what he called “fraudulent” legal tactics.
Similarly, Combs’ legal team dismissed the claims, labeling them as part of a “barrage of shameless publicity stunts” intended to coerce settlements from celebrities. They maintained that Combs, who is also facing separate legal challenges, has “full confidence in the judicial process”.
The lawsuit adds to a wave of high-profile accusations involving public figures, with critics debating the ethics of handling such serious allegations through civil litigation rather than criminal proceedings. Jay-Z and Combs have both expressed intentions to fight the case in court.
Further updates will follow as the lawsuit progresses.