In a recent filing submitted by attorneys for Shawn Carter, better known as Jay‑Z, the former accuser has formally recanted her claims that the rapper and Sean “Diddy” Combs raped her when she was a teenager. The document, filed Thursday, states that the allegations were “false” and that she “never met Mr. Carter” and that he “never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward me whatsoever.”
Background of the lawsuit
The accusations first emerged in December 2024 when the woman, identified only as Jane Doe, filed a civil suit in New York alleging that Carter and Combs assaulted her at a house party after the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. The suit was brought by attorney Tony Buzbee and quickly attracted media attention. Shortly after filing, Jane Doe gave an NBC News interview in which she reiterated the allegations.
Following the interview, NBC News highlighted inconsistencies in her story. In a subsequent phone interview, she admitted she had “made some mistakes.” Combs’ attorneys had already labeled the case a “shameful money grab,” while Carter’s lawyer Alex Spiro described it as a “frivolous case.”
Legal developments
In February 2025, Jane Doe dismissed her lawsuit with prejudice, preventing her from refiling. The current filing, part of Carter’s ongoing malicious prosecution suit against Buzbee, includes an apology: “I understand that my false accusations have caused Mr. Carter immense pain, suffering, and damage that can never be fully undone. I sincerely and unconditionally apologize to Mr. Carter for the devastating harm I have caused to him, his family and his reputation.”
The filing also notes that Buzbee and his team paid Jane Doe $1,000 before her NBC interview.
Related court actions
Separately, Carter sued Buzbee in California in 2024, alleging extortion and defamation. That case was dismissed in June 2025, and the California Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal earlier this month, a decision Buzbee’s representatives called a “complete vindication for our clients.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs is currently serving a federal prison sentence after a July 2025 conviction on prostitution‑related charges, unrelated to the present civil matters.
Original reporting: NBC10 Boston — read the source article.
