Jay-Z Rape Accuser Formally Recants Allegation in Court Filing
Jane Doe, who previously accused Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) of raping her at the age of 13, has retracted her allegation in a court statement. In 2024, she initiated a lawsuit asserting that she was drugged and assaulted by Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs in 2000, but she withdrew it in February 2025. In her recent declaration, she affirmed, "Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter never raped me," and admitted that her false accusations inflicted pain on him. She did not receive any financial compensation for her statement and was dismissed from Carter's lawsuit. Additionally, she noted that she never faced threats from Carter. Combs, who was convicted on prostitution-related charges in July 2025, has denied her allegations. The BBC has reached out to her attorney, Tony Buzbee, for a response.
Key facts
- A woman who accused Jay-Z of raping her at age 13 has formally recanted her allegation in a court declaration.
- The lawsuit, filed in 2024, claimed she was drugged and raped by Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) and Sean "Diddy" Combs at a party after the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.
- The accuser, known as Jane Doe, dropped the lawsuit in February 2025, and Jay-Z then sued her and her lawyers.
- In her new declaration, she stated: "Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter never raped me. I have never met or spoken to Mr. Carter."
- She said she received no money from Jay-Z or anyone acting on his behalf and was not paid for the declaration.
- Jay-Z is still suing the woman's former lawyers, led by Tony Buzbee.
- Buzbee told Rolling Stone he had not seen the declaration and said multiple lawyers dealt with the woman before him.
- In July 2025, Sean Combs was convicted on prostitution-related charges and is serving a four-year prison sentence.
Entities
Artists
- Jay-Z
- Shawn Carter
- Sean Combs
- Diddy
- Beyoncé
- Tony Buzbee
Institutions
- MTV
- Rolling Stone
- BBC
Locations
- Alabama
- United States