The legal battle surrounding sexual assault allegations against music moguls Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs has taken a new twist, with the accuser, a woman from Alabama known as Jane Doe, admitting to inconsistencies in her account of the alleged events. In an interview with NBC News on Friday, Jane Doe acknowledged “some mistakes” in her recollection of the incident that allegedly occurred 24 years ago, when she was just 13 years old. Despite these admissions, she stands by her claim that both Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, and Combs sexually assaulted her at a VMAs after-party in 2000.
“I have made some mistakes,”
Jane Doe said during the interview, admitting that parts of her story were incorrect, but firmly asserting that the assault still occurred. One of the mistakes, according to her, involved incorrectly recalling that her father had picked her up after the incident. However, her father has no memory of this, and this discrepancy was reported by NBC News. Additionally, she had claimed to have spoken with a celebrity at the after-party, but this individual has stated they were not even in New York at the time of the alleged assault.
The case dates back to the night of the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), when Jane Doe attempted to gain entry to the show at Radio City Music Hall before finding herself at the after-party. It was there that she claims she was assaulted by Jay-Z and Combs, though her account has been met with skepticism. Despite her admission of errors in her narrative, Jane Doe insists that the core of her accusations remains true.
In response to these revelations, Jay-Z issued a statement denying the allegations. “This incident didn’t happen, and yet it’s been filed in court and publicized,” Jay-Z said, referring to the legal claims made by Jane Doe’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee.
“True justice is coming. We fight FROM victory, not FOR victory. This was over before it began.”
The rapper also dismissed the claims as a publicity stunt orchestrated by Buzbee, calling him a “1-800 lawyer” and predicting that the case would ultimately fail.The lawsuit, which was initially filed against Combs, accuses both Jay-Z and Diddy of raping Jane Doe in a hotel room following the VMAs. According to the documents, Jane Doe had consumed a drink at the party, which caused her to feel disoriented. She then allegedly tried to find a place to lie down, and it was during this moment of vulnerability that she claims Combs and Jay-Z entered the room. The lawsuit details the alleged assault, describing how Jay-Z allegedly held her down and raped her, despite her attempts to resist. Jane Doe said she immediately left the party after the incident, visibly upset, and used a phone at a nearby gas station to call her father, whom she trusted above all others at the time.
Diddy, who has also denied the allegations, was initially named in the lawsuit, and Jay-Z was later added on December 8, 2024, under the pseudonym “Celebrity A.” The amended complaint claims that Jay-Z, Diddy, and a third unidentified woman followed Jane Doe into the room after she had become disoriented from the drink. In the updated court documents, Jane Doe states she immediately recognized all three individuals when they entered the room.
Following the naming of Jay-Z in the lawsuit, the rapper took to social media to deny the accusations and accuse Buzbee of attempting to extort him. “My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee,” Jay-Z stated. “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!”
Jay-Z’s legal team quickly filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which was filed on December 9, 2024, the day after he was publicly named. His lawyers also requested that Jane Doe’s motion to proceed anonymously be denied, labeling the lawsuit as part of an “extortionate campaign.” They accused Buzbee and the woman of attempting to force Jay-Z to pay a substantial amount of money, regardless of the truth of the allegations.
Buzbee, for his part, has continued to defend Jane Doe, emphasizing her determination to stand by her story. He stated that she had agreed to take a polygraph test, an offer he said was unprecedented in his career. Buzbee also noted the significant toll the case has taken on Jane Doe, citing her health struggles and seizures caused by the stress of the proceedings.
Despite the inconsistencies in her story, Jane Doe remains resolute in her desire to seek justice. She explained her decision to come forward after so many years, stating, “You should always fight for what happened to you… never let what somebody else did ruin or run your life.” She expressed hope that by sharing her experience, others who have suffered similar trauma might find the courage to come forward.
The legal battle is ongoing, and the public attention on the case is likely to grow as both parties continue to present their versions of events. With the stakes high and reputations on the line, it remains to be seen how the court will ultimately rule on the validity of Jane Doe’s claims. As the situation unfolds, both Jay-Z and Diddy continue to strongly deny the allegations, while Jane Doe’s attorney remains firm in defending her right to be heard.
