Jay-Z sues ex-rape accuser, lawyer; alleges $20M loss
What's the story
Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z has filed a lawsuit against his former rape accuser and her attorney Tony Buzbee in an Alabama court. He claims their false sexual assault allegations resulted in a financial loss of at least $20 million.
The lawsuit also names another lawyer, David Fortney.
In the complaint, obtained by Page Six, Jay-Z accused the defendants of being "soullessly motivated by greed" and showing "abject disregard of the truth."
Legal claims
Jay-Z's lawsuit details and accuser's admission
Jay-Z is suing for malicious prosecution, abuse of process, civil conspiracy, and defamation.
According to the court documents, the accuser, identified as Jane Doe, has "voluntarily admitted" that Buzbee "pushed her toward going forward with the false story against Mr. (Shawn) Carter."
This admission came after an "extortionate demand letter failed to yield the financial windfall."
The complaint states, "Buzbee brought Jay-Z into it," as allegedly confessed by Doe.
Counterclaims
Doe's allegations and Jay-Z's response
In December 2024, Doe accused Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs of sexually assaulting her at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in New York in 2000 when she was just 13. Both rappers have denied the claims.
Jay-Z's complaint alleges Buzbee met Doe for the first time at a Houston coffee shop on the day of her NBC News interview.
Since then, he has consistently denied the allegations, labeling them a "blackmail attempt."
Discrepancies
'Inconsistencies' in Doe's allegations emerged earlier
Doe has publicly acknowledged "inconsistencies" in her lawsuit, including a claim that she met Benji Madden at the alleged afterparty.
However, a spokesperson for Madden said he and his twin brother were on tour halfway across the country when the alleged incident took place.
Further, Doe claimed her father picked her up from the party, but he told NBC News he didn't recall such a long drive.
Ongoing battle
Jay-Z's legal team continues to fight back
Despite these inconsistencies, Doe's lawyers continued "to seek to hide this reality, including through further extortionate threats and demands," Jay-Z's complaint states.
Another issue was Buzbee filing Doe's suit in New York without being admitted to the Bar of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY).
His request for SDNY admission was denied on February 13 due to previous SDNY filings without proper admission.
Additional lawsuit
Jay-Z's separate lawsuit against Buzbee in Los Angeles
Apart from the Alabama case, Jay-Z has also filed a separate lawsuit against Buzbee in Los Angeles.
A source told Page Six that this LA suit will go on alongside the Alabama case.
The California case involves suing Buzbee for defamation, while only Doe is being sued for defamation in the Alabama case.
More details in these high-profile lawsuits are awaited.