Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has filed a defamation lawsuit against an Alabama woman, identified as Jane Doe, who previously accused him of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit that she later withdrew.
The lawsuit, filed Monday, asserts that the woman’s claims were fabricated and strategically timed to inflict maximum damage to Carter’s reputation, allegedly as part of an extortion scheme.
Jay-Z Accuses Attorneys of Greed and Exploitation
The lawsuit also names Jane Doe’s attorneys, Tony Buzbee and David Fortney, accusing them of acting out of greed while disregarding the truth.
“These attorneys were soullessly motivated by greed, in abject disregard of the truth and the most fundamental precepts of human decency,” the lawsuit states.
Jane Doe initially alleged that both Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs had assaulted her when she was 13 years old, following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. Both men categorically denied the accusations.
Last month, Jane Doe withdrew her lawsuit after Carter’s legal team challenged the credibility of her claims and pursued sanctions against Buzbee.
Jay-Z’s Lawsuit: A Retraction and Alleged Extortion Scheme
In his lawsuit, Jay-Z claims that Jane Doe has since admitted to his representatives that her allegations were false.
“Doe has now voluntarily admitted directly to representatives of Mr. Carter that the story brought before the world in court and on global television was just that: a false, malicious story,” the filing states.
The lawsuit further alleges that Buzbee himself pressured Jane Doe into making false allegations, orchestrating the case for financial gain.
“She has admitted that Mr. Carter did not assault her; and that indeed it was Buzbee himself … who pushed her to go forward with the false narrative of the assault by Mr. Carter in order to leverage a maximum payday.”
Jay-Z’s legal team argues that the harassment and false claims must stop, insisting that Carter has been subjected to ongoing abuse and extortion tactics.

Buzbee Denies Allegations, Calls It an Intimidation Tactic
Tony Buzbee, responding to the defamation suit, strongly denied Carter’s claims, accusing his investigators of harassment and intimidation.
“Shawn Carter’s investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened, and harangued this poor woman for weeks trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story,” Buzbee stated.
He further asserted that Jane Doe still stands by her claims and that Carter’s legal team has been fabricating statements attributed to her.
“These same group of investigators have been caught on tape offering to pay people to sue me and my firm. After speaking with Jane Doe today, it appears that the quotes attributed to her in the lawsuit are completely made up, or they spoke to someone who isn’t Jane Doe.”
Buzbee dismissed the lawsuit as a bullying tactic, vowing to fight back against what he calls an attempt to silence his client.
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“This is just another attempt to intimidate and bully this poor woman that we will deal with in due course. We won’t be bullied or intimidated by frivolous cases.”
What Comes Next?
With both sides firmly standing their ground, this high-profile legal battle is far from over. Jay-Z’s legal team is pushing for damages and a retraction, while Buzbee continues to defend Jane Doe’s credibility.
As the case unfolds, it highlights broader concerns about celebrity lawsuits, false allegations, and the complexities of high-stakes legal battles in the entertainment industry.