American rapper Jay-Z has struck back at a lawsuit accusing him and Sean "Diddy" Combs of drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl at a party in 2000. The anonymous accuser alleges that she was assaulted at a house party following the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in New York, where an unnamed female celebrity was also present.
In a statement, Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, dismissed the legal action as a "blackmail attempt." Combs, who is currently in jail awaiting trial after being charged in September with sex trafficking and other offenses, has denied the latest accusation.
The lawsuit was originally filed in October and was refiled on Sunday to include Carter as a defendant. The BBC reached out to Carter's lawyer, Alex Spiro, and his publicist for comment.
The legal action was filed under New York's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act by Tony Buzbee, a Texas-based lawyer. Buzbee has filed numerous lawsuits in recent months accusing Combs of assault and rape. The hip-hop artist is scheduled to face a criminal trial on May 5.
In a statement posted to social media, Carter said, "My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, which they call a demand letter, from a 'lawyer' named Tony Buzbee. What he has calculated is that the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny will make me want to settle. No sir, it has the opposite effect! It makes me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a very public fashion. So no, I will not give you one red penny!"
A statement from Combs' legal team said the amended lawsuit was the latest in a series of "shameless publicity stunts designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear that lies will be spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr. Combs." The statement said the judicial process will prove that Combs is innocent of all the allegations against him, and he is facing 30 other lawsuits.
The accuser in Sunday's legal filing, identified only as "Jane Doe," said that in 2000, when she was 13, a friend dropped her off at the VMAs at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan. She approached limousine drivers outside the venue to try to gain access to the show, according to the legal action. One driver told her he was employed by Combs and said she "fit what Diddy was looking for," the lawsuit states.
Later that evening, the chauffeur drove her to a party at a white house, according to the legal action. Jane Doe said when she arrived at the party, she was asked to sign a document that she believed was a non-disclosure agreement, the lawsuit states.
The legal action says she saw "many celebrities" at the party and observed widespread drug use, including cocaine. A waitress offered her a drink that made her feel "woozy," so she went inside a room to lie down, according to the lawsuit.
Soon afterward, the legal action says, Combs and Carter entered the room with a female celebrity, described as Celebrity B. "The plaintiff immediately recognized all three celebrities," the lawsuit states.
The legal action says Combs approached her "with a crazed look in his eyes," grabbed her, and said, "You are ready to party!" Carter held her down and raped her before Combs did the same, all while Celebrity B watched, according to the lawsuit.
Jane Doe fought back during the assault, and when Combs backed away in surprise, she escaped, the legal action states. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, says the plaintiff still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression due to the alleged rapes.
In his statement, Carter, who is married to Beyoncé and has three children with her, said, "My only heartbreak is for my family. My wife and I will need to sit our children down, one of whom is at an age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people."
