Jay-Z's Accuser Recants Rape Claim — Says She Never Even Met Him
The woman who accused Jay-Z of raping her when she was 13 has filed a sworn declaration in Manhattan federal court saying the allegations were entirely false — and that she has never even met the rapper.
"Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter never raped me," Jane Doe wrote in the 12-page declaration filed September 24. "I have never met or spoken to Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward me whatsoever. There is no truth to any of my claims against Mr. Carter."
She also apologized directly to Jay-Z and his family.
"I understand that my false accusations have caused Mr. Carter immense pain, suffering, and damage that can never be fully undone," she wrote. "I sincerely and unconditionally apologize to Mr. Carter for the devastating harm I have caused to him, his family and his reputation."
Jane Doe said she had not been promised or received any compensation in exchange for making the declaration. She also disclosed that her former attorney, Tony Buzbee, paid her $1,000 before she sat down for an NBC News interview in connection with the case.
How This All Started
The original lawsuit was filed in October 2024 against Sean "Diddy" Combs, alleging that Combs and an unnamed male celebrity drugged and raped Doe at an after-party following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards when she was 13 years old. Buzbee, a Texas attorney who had filed more than a dozen other lawsuits against Combs at the time, represented her.
In December 2024, Doe amended her complaint to name Jay-Z — whose real name is Shawn Carter — as the second man. Jay-Z denied the allegations immediately and forcefully, calling them "heinous," "malicious," and "fictitious." He said he and Beyoncé received death threats after the lawsuit became public.
Doubts about the account surfaced quickly. In an NBC News interview, Doe acknowledged inconsistencies in her own story. She voluntarily withdrew the lawsuit with prejudice in February 2025 — meaning it could not be refiled. That same month, Jay-Z filed a malicious prosecution lawsuit against Buzbee.
The September 24 declaration, filed as part of that ongoing case against Buzbee, is Jay-Z's most significant legal development since. In it, Doe says her allegations were never independently investigated by Buzbee's team before the lawsuit was filed.
What's Still Unresolved
Jay-Z's malicious prosecution case against Buzbee is still pending in federal court in New York. Jane Doe has now been dismissed as a defendant from that suit following the recantation, but the case against Buzbee himself continues.
Buzbee has not publicly responded to the September 24 filing.
The allegations against Sean Combs are a separate matter entirely. Combs was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering in July 2025 but convicted on two prostitution-related counts. He was sentenced to four years and two months in prison and is appealing his conviction.
Jay-Z, now 56, has maintained his innocence throughout the nearly two-year ordeal. His attorney Alex Spiro called the recantation a complete and total vindication.
"She has confirmed what we have always known to be true," Spiro said. "Mr. Carter did not rape her, sexually assault her, engage in any inappropriate conduct towards her, and she has never met him. She sincerely and unconditionally apologizes to Mr. Carter and his family."
Curious for more stories that keep you informed and entertained? From the latest headlines to everyday insights, YourLifeBuzz has more to explore. Dive into what’s next.