A woman who previously accused hip-hop icons Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and Jay-Z of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 has formally dropped her civil lawsuit, according to recent court documents.
The suit, linked to allegations from an incident purportedly occurring at a post-MTV Video Music Awards party in 2000, was unfairly dismissed by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, indicating it cannot be reopened.
A Jane Doe who alleged Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jay-Z sexually assaulted her 25 years ago has withdrawn her lawsuit against them. https://t.co/QnHegHUD2a
— CNN (@CNN) February 15, 2025Details regarding whether a settlement was reached with the stars remain unclear, as the accuser’s identity has not been disclosed. Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, reacted to the dismissal by criticizing the allegations as “frivolous, fictitious and appalling.” He commented on the lack of merit in the civil suit, describing the accusations as a “laughable” fictional tale overshadowed by the gravity of the claims. “The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones, and I have endured can never be dismissed,” he added, highlighting the personal impact of the lawsuit.
Attorney Tony Buzbee has dropped the rape lawsuit against Jay-Z and Diddy, which was filed by a Jane Doe in civil court last year.
On Friday (Feb. 14), Buzbee filed a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal in the United States District Court Southern District of New York, citing the… pic.twitter.com/Nfom62U9Fh
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) February 14, 2025The original complaint detailed a scenario in which Combs and Carter alternately assaulted the plaintiff while another celebrity and multiple attendees of the party reportedly did nothing to intervene.
Read: Jay-Z’s Defense Points Out ‘Red Flags’ in Rape Accuser’s Story
In separate but related legal troubles, Combs faces charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, accused by federal prosecutors of coercing women into drug-fueled sex parties through threats and violence. He has denied all allegations. His criminal trial is scheduled to start on May 5.
