S Poddar
A newly amended lawsuit filed in federal court on Sunday accuses prominent rap artists Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl at a party following the 2000 MTV Music Awards.
Jay-Z took to social media to deny the claims, branding it a “blackmail attempt” set up by the legal team of the plaintiff. A statement released from his record label, Roc Nation, Jay-Z laments over how this can ruin his family, especially in terms of explaining it to his daughter, who is 12 years old. His legal representatives have yet to make any statements on the issue.
Sean Combs, currently incarcerated on federal charges of sex trafficking to which he has pleaded not guilty, denied all allegations, including the more detailed one in this case.
The lawsuit, first filed in October in the Southern District of New York, had no Jay-Z as a defendant, but the amended filing included him as “Celebrity A” in the original complaint.
The plaintiff, unnamed, claims that Jay-Z and Combs drugged and abused her during the party in Combs’s mansion. She has testified to having had a drink that made her feel “woozy and lightheaded” before the assaults occurred as described by her. She asserts that she was able to escape by striking Combs and running to a gas station in the neighborhood where her father picked her up later.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, has a history of representing clients in cases against prominent figures, particularly Combs. He has filed over 20 civil lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual misconduct, using public platforms like Instagram and news conferences to identify potential plaintiffs.
Buzbee’s strategy has raised questions, as all his lawsuits start with unknown plaintiffs. A judge will determine whether the current plaintiff can move forward without revealing her identity.
In his public response, Jay-Z challenged the nature of the lawsuit, urging the plaintiff to pursue a criminal case instead of a civil one. “These 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, would you not agree? ” he said. Jay-Z also accused Buzbee of “theatrics” and of targeting him unfairly.
Buzbee responded to his approach in an email to Reuters, stating that the case “speaks for itself,” and that the seriousness of the matter will be decided in court. The lawyer also said his firm had previously contacted Jay-Z seeking confidential mediation. According to the suit, Jay-Z retaliated by suing Buzbee back for running a harassment campaign against Jay-Z’s lawyers, which, according to Buzbee, was supposed to intimidate his client. On social media, Buzbee said that the victim did not ask for money but wanted confidential mediation. In addition, he said that such an idea of money demand has no basis.
Buzbee has also filed another suit against the law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan that is representing Jay-Z and Combs. He claims harassment against his team, clients, and family by the firm. There have been no comments from the firm in these regards.
In his response, Jay-Z has maligned Buzbee. According to Jay-Z, he is an opportunist seeking benefit by taking advantage of the system for personal gain.
“True victims in the world have to watch how their life story is dressed in costume for profitability by this ambulance chaser in a cheap suit,” Jay-Z said, dismissing the claims as both harmful and baseless. He expressed confidence in proving his innocence and drew attention to his upbringing in Brooklyn, contrasting his values with what he sees as exploitative practices by Buzbee. Meanwhile, Combs is stuck in prison after a third denial of bail by the judge over some worries about witness interference. The prosecutors claim that he has attempted to influence potential witnesses and manipulated public opinion in view of his pending trial.
This lawsuit is the latest development in a line of lawsuits surrounding Combs and now Jay-Z, drawing attention to serious allegations of sexual misconduct within the entertainment industry. The case continues to develop as courts hear it.
