Alabama Woman Withdraws Lawsuit Against Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs
An Alabama woman who accused rappers Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 has voluntarily withdrawn her lawsuit, according to court filings on Friday.
The woman, who remains unidentified, initially filed the lawsuit against Combs in Manhattan federal court and later added Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, in December. She alleged that the two assaulted her in 2000 after being offered a ride to an MTV Video Music Awards after-party by Combs’ limo driver.
The court filing announcing the dismissal did not provide an explanation for the withdrawal. Jay-Z, who had previously sought to be removed from the case and denied the allegations, responded to the development, calling it a “victory.”
“The frivolous, fictitious, and appalling allegations have been dismissed,” Jay-Z said in a social media statement. “This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere.”
Combs remains in jail in New York, facing federal sex trafficking charges. He is also the subject of multiple sexual assault lawsuits, many filed by Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, who claims to represent over 150 alleged victims of Combs.
Lawyers for Combs pointed to the case’s dismissal as evidence that other claims against him are unfounded.
“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,” Combs’ legal team said in a statement. They reiterated that Combs “has never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone — man or woman, adult or minor.”
Buzbee declined to comment on the withdrawal of the lawsuit but has previously stated that his firm has received numerous allegations against Combs, including claims that individuals were drugged at parties in New York, California, and Florida. His firm set up a 1-800 number for potential victims to come forward.
Both Jay-Z and Combs criticized Buzbee’s firm, with Jay-Z accusing him of filing lawsuits for financial gain.
“When they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions,” Jay-Z wrote. “The system has failed.”
Jay-Z and Combs, two of the most influential figures in hip-hop, have been frequent collaborators and business moguls in the industry. Jay-Z has won 25 Grammys, while Combs has earned three. Despite their past collaborations, this lawsuit placed them in the center of a legal battle that has now seen one of its key claims dismissed.
