Rapper Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs face lawsuit alleging rape of 13-year-old in 2000

US rapper Jay-Z has responded to a legal complaint asserting that he, in conjunction with Sean “Diddy” Combs, allegedly drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl at a party in 2000. The unidentified accuser claims the assault occurred at a house party following the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in New York, and that an unnamed female celebrity was present in the room. In a public statement, Jay-Z, identified by his birth name Shawn Carter, characterized the legal proceedings as a “blackmail attempt”. Mr. Combs, currently incarcerated and awaiting trial following charges in September for sex-trafficking and other offenses, has denied this recent accusation. Readers are advised that this story contains details some may find distressing. The lawsuit, initially filed in October, was refiled on Sunday to include Mr. Carter as a defendant. The BBC has reached out to Mr. Carter’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, and his publicist for their comments. The legal complaint was submitted under New York’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act by Tony Buzbee, a Texas-based lawyer. Mr. Buzbee has initiated multiple lawsuits in recent months, alleging assault and rape against Mr. Combs, though none of these have disclosed the victims’ names. The hip-hop artist is scheduled for a criminal trial on May 5. Mr. Carter stated in a social media post: “My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee.” He continued: “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle.” Mr. Carter further declared: “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!” Mr. Carter also stated that he considered the allegations “so heinous in nature that I implore you (Tony Buzbee) file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?” A statement released by Mr. Combs’s legal team asserted that this amended lawsuit represents the most recent in a sequence of “shameless publicity stunts, designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear having lies spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr Combs”. The statement further indicated that the judicial process would demonstrate Mr. Combs’s innocence regarding all allegations against him. He is currently facing 30 other lawsuits. In response to the criticism, Mr. Buzbee shared an image of himself on Instagram from his younger years in military uniform, accompanied by a caption stating he had encountered “a coordinated and aggressive effort” to prevent him from advancing the case. He added: “I also won’t allow anyone to scare my clients into silence,” and concluded: “Sunlight is the best disinfectant and I am quite certain the sun is coming.” The accuser in Sunday’s legal submission, identified solely as “Jane Doe,” recounted that in 2000, at the age of 13, a friend left her at the VMAs at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan. According to the legal action, she approached limousine drivers outside the venue in an attempt to gain entry to the event. The lawsuit states that one driver informed her he was employed by Mr. Combs and that she “fit what Diddy was looking for.” The legal action indicates that later that evening, the chauffeur transported her to a party at a white house. The lawsuit reports that Jane Doe claims upon her arrival at the party, she was requested to sign a document she believes was a non-disclosure agreement. The legal action details that she recognized “many celebrities” at the party and witnessed extensive drug use, including cocaine. According to the lawsuit, a waitress offered her a drink that caused her to feel “woozy,” prompting her to enter a room to lie down. The legal action further states that shortly thereafter, Mr. Combs and Mr. Carter entered the room accompanied by a female celebrity, referred to as Celebrity B. The lawsuit notes: “Plaintiff immediately recognized all three celebrities.” The legal action describes Mr. Combs approaching her “with a crazed look in his eyes,” grabbing her, and stating: “You are ready to party!” According to the lawsuit, Mr. Carter held her down and raped her, followed by Mr. Combs doing the same, with Celebrity B observing throughout. The legal action indicates that Jane Doe resisted during the assault, and when Mr. Combs recoiled in surprise, she managed to escape. The lawsuit, which requests unspecified damages, asserts that the plaintiff continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression due to the alleged rapes. In his statement, Mr. Carter, who is married to Beyoncé and has three children with her, expressed: “My only heartbreak is for my family. My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people.”