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Rappers Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs have been named in a civil lawsuit accusing them of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000. The suit, initially filed in October and updated recently in New York to include Jay-Z, claims that the victim, now residing in Alabama, was assaulted at a Video Music Awards afterparty.
Jay-Z, whose birth name is Shawn Carter, described the allegations as a “blackmail attempt,” while Combs’ lawyer denied the claims.
The lawsuit details that the girl attended the VMAs in New York City without a ticket, hoping to gain entry, but was invited to an afterparty by a limo driver claiming to be associated with Combs. Upon arriving, she was allegedly asked to sign what she believed was a non-disclosure agreement.
Inside the party, the lawsuit states that after the girl accepted a drink from a waitress, she began to feel “woozy and lightheaded.” Seeking a place to rest, she entered a room with a bed, where Combs, Carter, and an unidentified female celebrity reportedly entered shortly thereafter.
The suit alleges that Carter held her down and raped her, while Combs and the female celebrity watched. It further claims that Combs also raped her, attempting to force her into performing oral sex, but she managed to escape after hitting him and grabbing her clothing.
The lawsuit notes that despite the presence of other partygoers, none seemed to notice her distress or offer assistance.
After leaving the house and getting dressed, the girl ran to a nearby gas station where a clerk helped her call her father for a ride. She is seeking unspecified damages.
In response to the lawsuit, Carter stated that he received a demand letter from a lawyer, which he characterized as a blackmail attempt. He expressed his determination to publicly challenge the allegations.
Combs’ attorney called the amended complaint a “shameless publicity stunt” aimed at extracting money from celebrities. He asserted that Combs has confidence in the judicial process and maintains his innocence against all allegations of sexual assault.
Additionally, the lawyer representing Combs has been accused of trying to extort a payment from an anonymous male celebrity, who has denied the claims.
Combs is currently in custody in New York, awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, which he has pleaded not guilty to. His bail attempts have been repeatedly denied.
