Jay-Z has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl 24 years ago alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs in a civil lawsuit, originally filed in October.
The 55-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, has been named in a civil lawsuit filed by a woman identified only as Jane Doe. According to the amended complaint obtained by PEOPLE, Doe alleges that she was assaulted after she was driven to an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000.
NBC News was the first to report the news.
The same civil lawsuit was originally filed in New York City in October with the names of two celebrities redacted and only listed Sean “Diddy” Combs, 55, as a defendant. An amended complaint was filed on Sunday, Dec. 8, to name Carter.
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In the lawsuit, originally filed on Oct. 20, the unnamed woman alleges that she was raped by Combs and Carter while a still-unnamed female celebrity watched during a party in a N.Y.C. residence after the VMAs.
“Defendant Sean Combs… along with his longtime friend and collaborator Shawn Carter (a/k/a ‘JayZ’), drugged and raped a thirteen-year-old girl at an afterparty following the 2000 Video Music Awards,” the suit states. “Another celebrity stood by and watched as Combs and Carter took turns assaulting the minor.”
Carter shared a lengthy response to the filing on Roc Nation’s X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, writing that the filing was a “a blackmail attempt.” He called the accusation false, and spoke out against the Jane Doe’s attorney, Tony Buzbee.
“What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. 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!!” the rapper wrote in part.
“These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to 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? These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case,” he continued.
“You have made a terrible error in judgement thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same,” Carter wrote. “I’m not from your world. I’m a young man who made it out of the project of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children, you seem to exploit people for personal gain. Only your network of conspiracy theorists, fake physics, will believe the idiotic claims you have levied against me that, if not for the seriousness surrounding harm to kids, would be laughable.”
“I look forward to showing you just how different I am,” he concluded.
Combs’ attorneys denied the allegations in a statement to PEOPLE. A representatives for Carter did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Jane Doe’s attorney Buzbee told PEOPLE in a statement, “The pleading speaks for itself. This is a very serious matter that will be litigated in court.”
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The unnamed woman, who was 13 years old in 2000, alleges in the lawsuit that she had been trying to get into the VMAs by standing outside of Radio City Music Hall and walking up to limousines that were bringing guests into the venue.
Per the suit, one limousine driver told Jane Doe that he worked for Combs and she “fit what Diddy was looking for.” She was invited to an afterparty following the awards show, and the driver told her to come back to his car later in the evening.
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Upon arrival at the party, the suit claims, she was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement and was eventually drugged after being given a drink, according to the complaint.
The Jane Doe said she was later approached by Combs, who had a “crazed look in his eyes” and who allegedly told her, “You are ready to party!”
The accuser, who is now in her mid-30s, then claims that she was raped by an unnamed male celebrity, while an unnamed female celebrity watched, before Combs raped her, according to the complaint.
“Plaintiff was held down by Carter as he vaginally raped her, while Combs and Celebrity B watched,” the suit states. “After Carter finished, he stepped back toward the wall. Combs then stepped forward and vaginally raped Plaintiff while Carter and Celebrity B watched.”
The unnamed Jane Doe is seeking unspecified damages, and attorney Buzbee previously announced that he was representing more than 100 people accusing Combs of misconduct.
Combs last appeared in court for his criminal case on Oct. 10 and his trial is scheduled for May 2025.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
