Jay-Z has filed a defamation lawsuit against a woman who initially accused him of rape, then retracted her claims, alleging she was coerced into making false statements.1
The “Renegade” singer asserts that the woman’s accusations were part of an extortion attempt orchestrated by her attorneys to damage his reputation.2
The woman had previously filed lawsuits in October and December, accusing Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her as a 13-year-old following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.3 Both artists vehemently denied these allegations.
Jay-Z’s lawsuit, filed in federal court in Alabama, also targets the woman’s attorneys, Tony Buzbee and David Fortney, accusing them of pressuring her to fabricate the claims.4 This comes amidst Buzbee’s involvement in multiple lawsuits against Diddy, alleging sexual misconduct, extortion, and assault.5 Diddy, who has denied all allegations, is currently facing federal charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering, to which he has pleaded not guilty.6
According to Jay-Z’s legal filing, the woman admitted to his legal team that she was influenced by her attorneys to make the false accusations.7 She reportedly stated that “Buzbee brought Jay-Z into it,” and that despite acknowledging Jay-Z “did not sexually assault (her),” Buzbee “pushed [her] towards going forward” with the fabricated story to strengthen their case and demand more money.8
The lawsuit also highlights inconsistencies in the woman’s previous statements, including a prior interview where she named a celebrity as being present at the party, a celebrity who was demonstrably in another city that night.9 Furthermore, her father reportedly contradicted her claim of being picked up after the alleged assault. Jay-Z’s suit further argues that Buzbee’s firm failed to properly vet the woman’s claims, citing her history of mental health issues and a prior assault charge.
In response, Buzbee denies any wrongdoing, accusing Jay-Z’s team of attempting to intimidate the woman into retracting her statements. He stated that Jay-Z’s investigators had “repeatedly harassed, threatened, and harangued this poor woman for weeks, trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story,” and that she “stands by her claims.”10
Jay-Z, married to Beyoncé, claims the false allegations have caused substantial personal and professional damage, including an estimated $20 million loss in business contracts for his company, Roc Nation, and emotional distress to his family, particularly his children.11
