Woman Who Accused Jay-Z of Rape Recants Allegation, Says They Never Met
A woman who accused rapper and businessman Jay-Z of rape has recanted her allegation, saying it was false and that she has never met him. The reversal came in a sworn declaration filed in a New York court on Thursday, marking a major turn in a case that drew wide attention when it began in late 2024.
What the Woman Now Says
The woman, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, stated that Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, never raped or sexually assaulted her, never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward her, and that she has never met or spoken with him. She said there is no truth to any of her claims against him. She also said she falsely claimed that another celebrity, whose name is redacted in the filing, watched the alleged assault. According to reports, she has apologised to Carter and his family, and she stated that Sean “Diddy” Combs did not rape her either. She said she was not paid for her statements.
How the Case Began
In late 2024, the woman filed a civil lawsuit through attorney Tony Buzbee. It alleged that Carter and Combs drugged and raped her at a house party following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, when she was 13. Days after the suit was filed, she gave an interview to NBC News in which she stood by her account. Carter strongly denied the claim, calling it a blackmail attempt and describing the allegations as frivolous, fictitious and appalling.
The Legal Fight
Carter had already sued Buzbee in California in November 2024, accusing him of extortion. He later filed a federal lawsuit in New York alleging malicious prosecution and defamation against the woman and her legal team. The woman dropped her own case in 2025. At that time, Carter said the trauma endured by his wife, children and loved ones could never be dismissed. His lawyers also argued that her account contained an impossible timeline.
Why She Came Forward, According to Her Declaration
In her declaration, the woman said she contacted the law firm after seeing a Facebook ad in October 2024 seeking people who might have been harmed by Combs. She said the ad triggered memories of being raped at age 13. Her original claim was unrelated to the case that led to Combs’s 2025 conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and his 50-month prison sentence.
Carter Drops Her From the Suit
Along with the declaration, Carter’s lawyers filed notice that they were voluntarily dismissing the woman as a defendant. His malicious-prosecution lawsuit against Buzbee and his Texas-based firm continues.
Buzbee Responds
Buzbee told Rolling Stone that he had not seen the recantation. He said at least four lawyers dealt with the woman before he did and that she gave each the same story. If she now says she lied to them and the court, he said, that is new information. Combs’s lawyers had separately denied the allegations, and Buzbee continues to represent other plaintiffs with civil claims against Combs.
What Happens Next
The lawsuit against Buzbee and his firm remains active, and the court will now weigh the woman’s declaration. Its effect on that case, and on the separate claims involving Combs, has yet to be decided.
About the Author
