Jay-Z has filed a defamation lawsuit against a woman who previously accused him of rape in a now-withdrawn complaint, arguing that the false allegations caused significant harm to his reputation.
Music mogul Jay-Z, legally known as Shawn Carter, has taken legal action against a woman who accused him of sexual assault—a claim that was later withdrawn with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled in court.
According to NBC News, the 55-year-old rapper and businessman filed a defamation lawsuit in federal court in Alabama, where the woman, identified only as “Jane Doe,” resides. The suit alleges that she and her legal representatives acted with malicious intent and were motivated by greed, disregarding the truth.
The woman had initially accused Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her at an after-party following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.
However, her claims were scrutinized for inconsistencies, including: Stating that her father had picked her up from the event, while he reportedly did not recall making the five-hour drive.
And also alleging she had spoken to musician Benji Madden at the party, despite a Madden representative confirming that neither Benji nor his brother Joel Madden attended the 2000 VMAs, as they were on tour in the Midwest at the time.
After the lawsuit was dropped last month, Jay-Z responded, calling the accusations “frivolous, fictitious, and appalling.” He added: “The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims. I would not wish this experience on anyone.”
Jay-Z’s lawsuit demands a jury trial and unspecified damages, aiming to hold his accuser accountable for what he claims was a deliberate effort to damage his personal and professional reputation.
Despite withdrawing her case, the woman has not backed down entirely. In a separate legal filing on Monday, she reaffirmed her original allegations, according to reports.
While Jay-Z fights his defamation case, Sean “Diddy” Combs remains embroiled in legal issues. Combs is currently in prison, awaiting a May 5 criminal trial on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. Additionally, he faces multiple civil lawsuits from men and women accusing him of sexual assault and other misconduct.
Diddy has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case and maintains his innocence in all pending lawsuits.
