American rapper Shawn Corey Carter, known as Jay-Z, has filed a defamation lawsuit against a woman who accused him of rape in a complaint that was later withdrawn.
The 55-year-old musician took legal action in a federal court in Alabama, where the woman, identified as Jane Doe, resides. Jay-Z claims the woman and her legal team acted out of greed without regard for the truth, damaging his personal and professional image.
The woman had initially accused Jay-Z and fellow music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her at an after-party following the 2000 MTV Music Video Awards. However, the complaint was withdrawn with prejudice last month, preventing it from being refiled.
Jay-Z described the dismissal as a victory, condemning the allegations as false and harmful. His lawsuit points out inconsistencies in the woman’s story, including her claim that her father drove her home—a journey of more than five hours—while her father reportedly could not recall the ride. Additionally, she claimed to have spoken to musician Benji Madden at the party, but Madden’s representative stated he was on tour at the time.
Despite withdrawing her complaint, the woman maintains her accusations in a separate legal filing.
Jay-Z is seeking a jury trial and unspecified financial damages. Meanwhile, Sean “Diddy” Combs is in prison, awaiting trial on racketeering and sex trafficking charges, along with facing several other civil lawsuits related to sexual misconduct.