In a dramatic reversal, the plaintiff behind a high-profile civil complaint against Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has filed a sworn declaration saying every allegation she made was false. The filing, submitted to a Manhattan federal court on Thursday, removes the rapper from the pending malicious-prosecution suit he filed against both the plaintiff and her attorney.
The original complaint, lodged in 2024, claimed that Carter and media mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs had drugged and sexually assaulted the complainant when she was 13 years old in the year 2000. At the time, the plaintiff was identified only as Jane Doe to protect her privacy, and she was represented by Texas lawyer Tony Buzbee, who had previously pursued more than a dozen sexual-harassment actions against Combs.
Background of the 2024 civil action
The lawsuit named an unidentified “male celebrity” alongside Combs, prompting widespread speculation that Carter was the unnamed figure. Both men categorically denied any wrongdoing. Carter issued a public statement describing the claims as part of an extortion effort, while Combs, already under a separate federal investigation for alleged sex-trafficking and racketeering, was later acquitted of the most serious charges. After months of litigation, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed her case against both defendants.
In, Carter responded by filing a malicious prosecution and defamation suit against Buzbee and Jane Doe, alleging that the attorneys had pressured him into a secret settlement using threats to his reputation. The new suit was lodged in New York, while a parallel extortion claim in California had already been dismissed by a state appellate court.
New declaration and dismissal of the plaintiff
On Thursday, Jane Doe submitted a 12-page declaration to the Manhattan court, asserting under penalty of perjury that she never met or spoke to Carter and that her accusations were entirely fabricated. She wrote, “Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter never raped me. I have never met or spoken to Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward me whatsoever.” She further acknowledged that her legal team had filed the original complaint without conducting an independent investigation.
Following the declaration, Carter moved to voluntarily dismiss Jane Doe as a defendant in his malicious-prosecution case. Her new attorney, James Blair Newman Jr, issued a statement confirming that the plaintiff “sincerely and unconditionally apologizes to Mr. Carter and his family” and that she received no compensation for the declaration. The Buzbee Law Firm has not responded to requests for comment.
Jay-Z’s career milestones amid the legal drama
While the courtroom drama unfolded, Carter was celebrating a major professional milestone. 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of his debut album Reasonable Doubt. To honor the occasion, he headlined a series of concerts at Yankee Stadium in Manhattan and launched an HBO docuseries titled JAŸ-Z In 8 which surveys his discography and cultural impact.
The juxtaposition of a legal vindication with a celebratory tour has drawn considerable public attention. Observers note that the timing underscores the rapper’s resilience in the face of repeated accusations, even as the legal system finally cleared his name in this particular matter.
