According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE from Alabama, Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has filed a lawsuit against attorney Tony Buzbee, David Fortney, and their anonymous client, Jane Doe, concerning a previously withdrawn alleged sexual assault suit. On March 3, Monday, Jay-Z outlined three causes of action: malicious prosecution, abuse of process, and civil conspiracy, targeting all three defendants. Additionally, he introduced a fourth cause of action, defamation, specifically against Jane Doe. He seeks presumed, actual, and punitive damages as a result.
In his newly submitted complaint, Jay-Z insists that the original rape allegations leveled against him were deliberately "false" and "malicious." He further contends that the sexual assault suit was meticulously planned "to inflict maximum pain and suffering" upon him, both strategically and tactically.
The prior lawsuit, initially filed on October 20, 2024, had claimed that Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000. Buzbee and fellow attorney Antigone Curis voluntarily dismissed the suit on Friday, February 14.
However, in his March 3 filing, Jay-Z alleges in a fresh lawsuit that the October 20 suit was built upon false information orchestrated by Jane Doe and her legal representatives. The filing contends that Jane Doe and her lawyers embarked on an extortion scheme against the rapper, "unleashing a menacing 'private' 'demand letter,'" and asserts that the "malicious" defendants made a "desperate bid to coerce Mr. Carter into an extortionate settlement."
The filing asserts that Jane Doe "admitted voluntarily" to Jay-Z's representative that "Carter did not assault her." It further alleges that Buzbee "pressured her to proceed with the false narrative of the assault by Mr. Carter in a bid to maximize their financial gain."
It further asserted that Jay-Z has initiated this legal action to hold Jane Doe accountable for her deliberate defamation, an act inherently malicious, and for her persistent pursuit of knowingly false accusations against him. On March 3rd, Buzbee released a statement to PEOPLE, stating, "This fresh lawsuit harbors identical allegations as the one they amalgamated and filed in Los Angeles. Much like its LA counterpart, this new case in Alabama lacks any legal substance... and she remains steadfast in her assertions." The statement went on to say, "Following today's discussion with Jane Doe, it transpires that the quotes attributed to her in the lawsuit are either entirely fabricated or sourced from an individual who is not Jane Doe herself."
"This is but another attempt to bully and harass this innocent woman, whom we shall address at the opportune moment. We stand firm in our refusal to be coerced or intimidated by frivolous legal actions devoid of merit."This recent filing follows Jay-Z's initial lawsuit against Buzbee in Los Angeles in December 2024, accusing him of civil extortion, defamation, and deliberately inflicting emotional distress. On Tuesday, February 25th, L.A. Judge Mark H. Epstein hinted that the defamation claim holds sufficient merit to proceed to trial, according to Rolling Stone, while leaning towards dismissing the extortion claim.
Furthermore, this filing comes mere weeks after Jay-Z's complaint dated Monday, February 10th, alleging that Buzbee intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon him by filing the lawsuit. The declaration further charged that Buzbee strategically timed the filing to coincide with the eve of his daughter Blue Ivy's premiere of 'Mufasa: The Lion King,' "forcing me into a dilemma of either supporting my daughter or concealing myself to escape negative publicity." Jay-Z and his wife Beyoncé are parents to Blue Ivy, aged 13, and twins Rumi and Sir, aged seven and a half. Despite the turmoil, Beyoncé and Jay-Z attended the event.
Moreover, Jay-Z contends that he has lost $20 million worth of contracts due to the false allegations in Buzbee's lawsuit and has been enduring profound "mental anguish" since its inception. Following several alleged discrepancies in Jane Doe's allegations, the October suit was "voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice," on February 14th by Buzbee and fellow attorney Antigone Curis, as reported by NBC News. The case cannot be refiled. On the same day, Jay-Z issued a statement on Roc Nation's X account, heralding the dismissal as a "victory" and asserting that these allegations have caused "trauma" to his wife and their three children.
