Jay-Z and Diddy Lawsuit Dismissed as Plaintiff Voluntarily Withdraws Case

A lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jay-Z, which alleged the rape of a 13-year-old girl in 2000, has been dismissed, according to a legal filing submitted on Friday in New York.

The attorney representing the anonymous plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe, voluntarily withdrew the case, court records show. The filing, submitted by lawyer Tony Buzbee—who represents multiple plaintiffs in sexual misconduct lawsuits against Mr. Combs—states that the plaintiff "hereby gives notice that the... action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice." This means the lawsuit cannot be refiled in its current form.

Roc Nation, the entertainment company founded by Jay-Z (legal name Shawn Carter), issued a statement from him calling the dismissal a "victory."

"The frivolous, fictitious, and appalling allegations have been dismissed," Jay-Z wrote. "This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims."

He further expressed the emotional toll the lawsuit had taken: "The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones, and I have endured can never be dismissed. 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."

Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, emphasized in a separate statement that the case "never should have been brought."

"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 one red penny, he triumphed and cleared his name," Spiro said.

Jane Doe originally filed the lawsuit against Mr. Combs in October before adding Jay-Z’s name in December, alleging both men assaulted her after an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000. Jay-Z strongly denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit a "blackmail attempt" meant to force a settlement.

In December, Jane Doe gave an interview that raised doubts about her credibility. She admitted that "not all the facts are clear" and stated, "I have made some mistakes. I may have made a mistake in identifying."

Last month, Jay-Z formally requested the court to dismiss the lawsuit due to inconsistencies in the accuser's account. The request was approved by United States District Judge Analisa Torres, leading to the lawsuit's dismissal.

While Jay-Z is no longer facing legal action, Mr. Combs continues to battle over three dozen civil suits. In response to Friday’s dismissal, Mr. Combs’ legal team issued a statement maintaining his innocence.

"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. Just like this claim, the others will fall apart because there is no truth to them," the statement said, adding, "This is just the first of many that will not hold up in a court of law."

Mr. Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since September 2024 on federal criminal charges related to racketeering and sex trafficking. He has been denied bail three times and will remain in custody until his trial on May 5, 2025.