Jay-Z, the star rapper and entrepreneur whose real name is Shawn Carter, was accused in a lawsuit Sunday of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000, along with Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The anonymous accuser, identified only as “Jane Doe,” said the assault occurred after she was driven to an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty.
The federal lawsuit was originally filed in October in the Southern District of New York and named Combs as a defendant. It was refiled Sunday to include Carter.
Tony Buzbee, the Texas attorney who filed the lawsuit, had no comment.
In a lengthy statement Sunday night, Carter called the allegations “ridiculous” and claimed Buzbee had acted unprofessionally.
“These allegations are so heinous in nature that we would like to see criminal charges filed instead of civil suits!! Anyone who commits such crimes against minors should be locked up. Don’t you agree?” Carter said in a statement to NBC News. “If that’s the case, these alleged victims deserve real justice.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment on whether the office was pursuing the case when shown an NBC News report on the case.
In recent months, Buzbee has filed multiple lawsuits against Combs, alleging assault and rape, all without naming the accusers. This is the first case in which he has named another prominent defendant.
Mr. Combs’ legal representatives said in a statement that the lawsuit “is aimed at extracting rewards from celebrities who fear that lies will be spread about them just as lies are being spread about Mr. Combs.” “It’s a shameless publicity stunt.”
“As his legal team has previously stated, Mr. Combs has full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process. The truth will prevail in court. Mr. Combs “I have never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone, regardless of age or minor,” the statement said.
Federal prosecutors in New York filed criminal charges against Combs in September on racketeering, sex trafficking and other charges, and he remains in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center after being denied bail for the third time last month. His trial is scheduled for May 5th.
Prosecutors said during a court hearing last month that they may file additional charges against Combs in a superseding indictment.
Before the lawsuit was refiled on Sunday, “Mr. Carter received a letter from the plaintiff’s attorney requesting mediation to resolve this matter,” Buzbee wrote in the lawsuit. In response to the letter, seen by NBC News, Mr. Carter filed his own lawsuit against the accuser’s attorney, Mr. Buzbee wrote in the lawsuit.
“You made a terrible error in thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same,” Carter added in a statement Sunday. “I’m not from your world. I’m a successful young man from the Brooklyn projects. We don’t play those types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect our children.”
The suit alleges that in 2000, when Doe was 13 years old, Combs and Carter raped her at a house party after the MTV Video Music Awards in New York.
A friend dropped her off at the VMAs at Radio City Music Hall, according to the complaint. Since she didn’t have a ticket, she approached various limousine drivers to gain admission to shows and after-parties.
One of the drivers told her that he worked for Combs and that she was “exactly what Didi was looking for,” according to the complaint. According to the complaint, the man invited her to an after-show party and, after transporting Carter and Combs, instructed her to return to his car later in the evening.
A driver then picked her up, and 20 minutes later they arrived at a white house with a U-shaped driveway, the suit said. She said she had to sign what appeared to be a non-disclosure agreement upon arrival, but never received a copy of it. The party was filled with celebrities and people doing marijuana and cocaine, according to the lawsuit.
The woman in the suit said she felt dizzy, lightheaded and wanted to lie down after being offered a drink and went into her room to rest, the suit states.
Shortly afterward, Combs and Carter entered the room, telling Combs, “We’re ready to party!” according to the complaint.
That’s when she alleges that Carter undressed her, held her down and raped her while Combs and an unnamed female celebrity looked on. She says Combs also raped her as Carter and the woman watched.
She was able to resist being forced to perform oral sex by punching Combs in the neck, and Combs “stopped,” according to the complaint.
After being assaulted, she “grabbed her clothes” and left, according to the complaint. She said she headed to a gas station where she called her father.
The accusers are seeking unspecified damages. The lawsuit is filed under New York State’s Gender-Based Violence Victim Protection Act.
“My only heartbreak is with my family,” Carter said in a statement. “My wife and I have to sit our kids down, and one of them says her friend will definitely watch the press and ask questions about the nature of these allegations and explain the cruelty and greed of humans. I’m still grieving the loss of new innocence.
“Only your network of conspiracy theorists, Fakeology, believes the stupid claims you push against me. If it weren’t for the seriousness of the harm to children, it would be a joke,” Carter said. added.
