A woman who has accused rappers Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexual assault when she was just 13 years old, following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000, has admitted to discrepancies in her narrative.
The individual, referred to solely as “Jane Doe” (a legal term in the U.S. for anonymity), informed Sky’s U.S. affiliate NBC News, “I have made some errors”, yet insists she maintains her overall allegations.
Jay-Z – whose birth name is Shawn Carter – and Combs have both refuted the claims.
Among the inconsistencies is her assertion that her father picked her up following the alleged incident, though he has stated he does not remember taking the journey, which would have lasted more than five hours.
She also mentioned a celebrity with whom she claimed to have conversed during the party, but that celebrity has denied being present, citing that they were engaged in a tour at the time.
Images examined by NBC News depict Combs and Carter at a different venue from the one the woman specified. The timing of these images is unclear, as is whether Combs and Carter attended any subsequent after-parties.
The discrepancies in her account of the incident – alleged to have occurred 24 years ago – do not inherently disprove the allegations.
A friend, who she claimed transported her from her residence in Rochester, New York, to Radio City Music Hall in New York City, is now believed to be deceased.
The federal lawsuit has been lodged by Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee, who asserts he is representing 120 complainants in cases against Combs.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was named alongside Carter in the lawsuit. Pic: AP
In response to the recent updates, Carter and his attorney Alex Spiro released statements on X, labeling the complaint as “baseless” and the case as “frivolous”.
Carter stated: “Today’s investigative report confirms that this ‘attorney’ Buzbee filed a false complaint against me in pursuit of monetary gain and notoriety.”
“This event never transpired yet he chose to file it in the courts and reiterated it to the media.”
“True justice is forthcoming. We contend from a position of victory, not just for victory.”
“This was concluded before it even began. This 1-800 lawyer is yet to realize, but he will soon.”
Carter has previously called for the identity of the woman to be disclosed, or for the case to be dismissed.
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Mr. Spiro commented: “It is astonishing that an attorney would file such a serious allegation without proper vetting, and further exacerbate the situation by disseminating this false narrative to the media.”
“We are requesting the court to dismiss this frivolous lawsuit today, and will seek further disciplinary action against Mr. Buzbee and all involved attorneys who filed the complaint.”
Carter is recognized as one of the most successful rappers globally, having achieved fame in the late 1990s, and boasts 24 Grammy awards to his credit.
Recently, he was seen on the red carpet alongside his wife Beyoncé and their daughter Blue Ivy Carter, 12, shortly after the allegations against him emerged.
Jay-Z and Beyonce at the premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King on Monday. Pic: Reuters
The attorney representing the plaintiff, Mr. Buzbee, communicated via email to NBC that her allegations are undergoing further investigation and supporting evidence is being gathered.
He added: “Having interrogated her thoroughly, she has even consented to undergo a polygraph examination… This situation has been profoundly upsetting for her, resulting in seizures and necessitating medical attention due to the pressure.”
Mr. Buzbee has previously denounced as “absurd” any accusations of attempting to extort anyone, emphasizing his commitment to contest all allegations in court.
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Combs is a three-time Grammy recipient and is regarded as one of the most powerful hip-hop producers over the last thirty years.
His legal representatives have labeled the lawsuit a “disgraceful attempt to acquire money.”
In the meantime, Combs has withdrawn his bail application after three unsuccessful attempts and will remain incarcerated in Brooklyn until his trial on federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering scheduled for May.
