A lawsuit accusing hip-hop moguls Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jay-Z of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2000 has been dismissed, according to a court filing made Friday in New York.
The voluntary dismissal, filed by attorneys Tony Buzbee and Antigone Curis, states that the Jane Doe plaintiff is withdrawing the case "with prejudice," meaning it cannot be refiled in its current form, Variety reported. The sudden dismissal marks a significant legal win for Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter), who had been vocal about fighting the accusations, calling them baseless and damaging to his family.
A Jane Doe first filed the lawsuit against Combs in October, later amending it in December to include Jay-Z. She claimed that both men sexually assaulted her in 2000 after taking her to an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty.
Jay-Z Responds: 'The System Has Failed'
Following the court filing, Jay-Z released a strongly worded statement, calling the lawsuit a failed "money grab" and criticizing what he sees as a broken legal system that allows false allegations to proceed without consequence.
"The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed," Jay-Z said. "This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere... The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed. This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions. The system has failed. The court must protect victims, OF COURSE, while with the same ethical responsibility, the courts must protect the innocent from being accused without a shred of evidence. May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally."
— Roc Nation (@RocNation) February 14, 2025
His attorney, Alex Spiro, echoed this sentiment, stating: "The false case against Jay-Z that never should have been brought has been dismissed with prejudice. By standing up in the face of heinous and false allegations, Jay has done what few can—he pushed back, he never settled, he never paid a red penny, he triumphed and cleared his name."
Jay-Z previously alleged that he was sent "blackmail" threats to pressure him into settling out of court, a move that he claimed only strengthened his resolve to fight back publicly. The lawsuit has drawn skepticism in recent months, particularly after the plaintiff admitted in an interview that she may have misidentified her alleged assailants.
Diddy Still Faces Legal Storm
While Jay-Z walks away from the case with his reputation intact, Diddy remains entangled in multiple legal battles. His legal team reacted to the lawsuit's dismissal by reaffirming their stance that the accusations against him were baseless.
"For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by an attorney more focused on media headlines than legal merit," Diddy's legal team said, according to ABC News. "Just like this claim, the others will fall apart because there is no truth to them."
However, unlike Jay-Z, Diddy's legal troubles are far from over. The rapper and music executive remains in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.
Denied bail three times, Combs is set to face trial on May 5, 2025, where he could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.
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