Rapper and entrepreneur Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has been named in a federal lawsuit accusing him of raping a 13-year-old girl. The anonymous accuser, identified as “Jane Doe,” claims the incident occurred at a house party following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.
The lawsuit, initially filed in October in the Southern District of New York against Sean “Diddy” Combs, was refiled on Sunday to include Carter. The case is being handled by Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee, who has not commented publicly on the matter.
In response, Carter issued a strongly worded statement, calling the allegations “idiotic” and urging the accuser to file a criminal complaint instead of a civil one. He also accused Buzbee of unethical practices, stating, “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.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment on whether the case was under criminal investigation.
Buzbee has recently filed multiple lawsuits against Combs, all alleging sexual assault or misconduct, though this is the first to name another high-profile defendant. Combs’ legal team dismissed the lawsuits as “shameless publicity stunts” intended to extort money from celebrities.
Combs is currently facing federal charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking, and remains in custody at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. His trial is set for May 5, with prosecutors indicating the possibility of additional charges in a superseding indictment.
The refiled lawsuit alleges that Carter and Combs assaulted the plaintiff at a party in 2000. Before the lawsuit’s refiling, Buzbee reportedly sent Carter a letter requesting mediation. In response, Carter filed a countersuit against Buzbee, accusing the attorneys of misconduct.
In his Sunday statement, Carter denied the allegations, asserting, “You have made a terrible error in judgment thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same. I’m not from your world. I’m a young man who made it out of the projects of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children.”
The lawsuit has sparked significant attention, though details about its next steps remain undisclosed.
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