Lawsuit Against Jay-Z and Diddy Over Alleged 2000 Sexual Assault Dropped
A woman who accused hip-hop moguls Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z of sexually assaulting her when she was just 13 years old has officially dropped her civil lawsuit, court records confirmed on Friday. The legal filing, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, states that the accuser “hereby gives notice that the above-captioned action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice,” meaning the case cannot be refiled in the future.
The lawsuit, which made headlines when it was first filed in December 2023, accused Combs and Jay-Z of raping the woman together at a party following the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2000. The accuser’s identity remains undisclosed, and it’s unclear whether the stars reached a settlement.
In response to the dismissal, Jay-Z, who is married to global pop icon Beyoncé, released a statement calling the lawsuit “frivolous, fictitious, and appalling.” The billionaire rapper, whose real name is Shawn Carter, expressed relief at the case’s closure but emphasized the emotional toll it caused him and his family: “The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims,” he stated. “I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones, and I have endured can never be dismissed.”
The original complaint accused both men of taking turns assaulting the plaintiff while another celebrity allegedly watched but did nothing to intervene. The accuser’s legal team also suggested that several other individuals present at the after-party failed to act during the assault.
As the lawsuit was being dropped, Combs who is also facing sex trafficking charges has vehemently denied all accusations. Federal prosecutors allege that he sexually abused women, coercing them into drug-fueled sex parties through threats and violence. The mogul’s trial for sex trafficking and racketeering is set to begin on May 5, 2025.
While the dismissal of the civil case brings one legal issue to a close for Jay-Z and Combs, both men continue to face ongoing legal battles involving other serious allegations.
