Jay-Z has dismissed a rape allegation made against him as an extortion attempt. A woman who previously sued Sean “Diddy” Combs for allegedly raping her at an awards show after-party in 2000, when she was 13, amended her lawsuit on Sunday to include Jay-Z as an alleged participant in the assault. The 24-time Grammy winner called the accusations “idiotic” and “heinous in nature” in a public statement.
Jay-Z also revealed that he had anonymously sued the woman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, last month, accusing him of attempting to blackmail the rapper by threatening to publicize the rape allegation unless he agreed to a legal settlement. According to Jay-Z, Buzbee sent a letter to his lawyer seeking a settlement, but it had the “opposite effect.” “It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion,” Jay-Z’s statement read. “So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
The lawsuit is part of a series of sexual assault claims against Combs, who is currently in custody in New York awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Buzbee, a Houston-based personal injury lawyer, represents over 120 accusers in cases against Combs. He dismissed Jay-Z’s claims of blackmail as “stupid and laughable,” stating that his letter merely sought confidential mediation. “What he fails to say in his recent statement is that my firm sent his lawyer a basic demand letter on behalf of an alleged victim and that victim never demanded a penny from him,” Buzbee said in an emailed statement.
Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, has filed court documents requesting that the accuser, identified only as Jane Doe, reveal her identity if she wishes to continue the lawsuit. Spiro argued that the woman has not provided sufficient evidence to justify her anonymity and that her “vague assertions of potential harm fall far short of the stringent requirements” under the law. Spiro also requested an urgent hearing on the matter.
In his statement, Jay-Z challenged Buzbee to pursue criminal charges and expressed support for “true victims in the world.” He also lamented the impact the allegations would have on his family, particularly his three children with Beyoncé. “I mourn yet another loss of innocence,” Jay-Z wrote.
Combs’ lawyers have dismissed Buzbee’s lawsuits as “shameless publicity stunts, designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear having lies spread about them.” Combs was denied bail for the third time last month and has pleaded not guilty to charges of coercing and abusing women. His criminal trial is scheduled to begin on May 5, 2025.
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