Jay-Z, one of the music industry’s most influential figures, is facing grave allegations in a civil lawsuit.
The 55-year-old rapper and business mogul, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has been accused alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs of assaulting a 13-year-old girl at an afterparty following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.
The allegations were brought forward by a woman referred to as Jane Doe, who filed the original lawsuit in October, naming P Diddy as a defendant.
An amended complaint, filed on December 8, added Jay-Z to the case. The lawsuit, which paints a harrowing picture of the alleged events, accuses the two men of attacking the minor at a New York City residence during the afterparty, while another unnamed female celebrity allegedly looked on.
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According to Jane Doe’s account, she was outside Radio City Music Hall attempting to gain entry to the VMAs when she was approached by a limousine driver.
The driver, claiming to work for P Diddy, reportedly told her she “fit what Diddy was looking for” and invited her to an exclusive afterparty later that evening.
© CBS Photo Archive
Upon arrival at the party, the lawsuit claims Jane Doe was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before being served a drink that she alleges was drugged.
The lawsuit goes on to describe chilling details of the alleged assault, claiming that P Diddy and Jay Z took turns attacking the girl while the unnamed female celebrity observed.
Jay-Z responded to the allegations in a lengthy and impassioned statement shared on Roc Nation’s X (formerly Twitter) account, vehemently denying any wrongdoing and condemning the lawsuit as a “blackmail attempt.”
“These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!!” he wrote. “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.”
© Kevin Mazur
The rapper, who has built an empire spanning music, business, and philanthropy, expressed frustration at the motivations behind the lawsuit.
“What [the plaintiff’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee] had calculated