Jay Z, Tony Buzbee.
Getty Images(2)Jay Z And a lawyer Tony BuzbeeThe current legal drama is just beginning.
On Sunday, December 8, news broke that Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) had been named alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs In a civil lawsuit filed by Buzbee. According to NBC News, legal papers The accused is Jay-Z55, for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000 with Combs, also 55. The anonymous accused, referred to as “Jane Doe,” claimed the assault occurred at an MTV Music Video Awards after-party in 2000.
Jay-Z responded to the lawsuit with a lengthy comment, Emotional statementHe denied these accusations. He added that his “only heartbreak is for my family.” (The rapper shares daughter Blue Ivy, 12, and twins Rumi and Sir, both 8, with his wife Beyoncé.)
“My wife and I will have to sit down with our children, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely watch the press and ask questions about the nature of these allegations, and explain people’s cruelty and greed.” Z said in a statement to: Us Weekly. “I am saddened by yet another loss of innocence. Children should not have to endure such at a young age. It is unfair to try to understand the inexplicable degrees of malice that aim to destroy families and the human spirit.
In addition to denying the allegations, Jay-Z also had a message addressed to Buzbee.
“It sounds like you are exploiting people for personal gain,” Jay-Z wrote. “Only your network of conspiracy theorists and fake physics would believe the stupid allegations you have made against me, which, were it not for the seriousness of the harm surrounding children, would be laughable.”
Keep scrolling for the breakdown of everything you know about Jay-Z and Buzbee's fight:
Who is Tony Buzbee?
Buzbee gained public recognition earlier this year after getting started Represents 120 clients Who they claimed they were Didi's victims. Diddy has strongly denied all these accusations. On October 7, Buzbee generated more excitement Celebrities will be sued Along with Didi, the claimed demand letters have already been sent.
“I think I'll let the lawsuits speak for themselves,” the Texas-based attorney told TMZ Live at the time. “Everyone is focused on what other celebrities have been involved in, who will be named, who will be exposed — I don't expect that to happen this week. I'm hoping to file some lawsuits this week.”
Why was Tony Buzbee sued?
Since Diddy's arrest in September, Buzbee has filed more than a dozen lawsuits Against Didi. (Didi has pleaded not guilty and will remain in prison until his trial in May 2025.)
However, on November 18, an unnamed male celebrity filed a lawsuit Buzbee sued. The papers accused the lawyer and his firm of “shamelessly attempting to extort exorbitant sums of money from him or publicly making false horrific allegations against him,” according to court documents obtained by CNN at the time.
According to the anonymous star, Buzbee allegedly sent him a demand letter to support his cases against Diddy. The filing alleged that Buzbee “threatened to unleash completely fabricated and salacious sexual assault allegations” involving “multiple instances of rape of a minor, both male and female” if their client refused to “comply with their demands.”
New York Times It was reported on December 9 that Jay-Z was the anonymous celebrity who filed a lawsuit against Buzbee.
How did Jay-Z get involved?
While Jay-Z and Diddy They were friends Over the years, the Roc Nation founder has become involved in Diddy's legal drama, most recently. On December 8, Buzbee refiled his October lawsuit to include Jay-Z. In the preliminary papers his name was just Diddy at that time. According to documents obtained by NBC News, both Jay-Z and Diddy were Accused of rape By a then 13 year old girl.
Both Jay-Z and Diddy denied the allegations. Diddy's lawyers issued a statement on behalf of the music mogul.
“This amended complaint and the recent racketeering lawsuit against Mr. Buzbee expose his barrage of lawsuits against Mr. Combs for what they are: shameful publicity stunts, designed to extract money from celebrities who fear lies can be spread about them, just as the lies have been spread,” Diddy’s lawyers said in a statement. US: “As his legal team has previously said, Mr. Combs has full confidence that the facts and the integrity of the judicial process will prevail.” Fact: Mr. Combs did not sexually assault or traffic any person, man or woman, adult or minor.
What did Jay Z say about Tony Buzbee?
After news of the lawsuit broke, Jay-Z publicly criticized Buzbee and the lawsuit.
“My attorney received an extortion attempt, called a demand letter, from an 'attorney' named Tony Buzbee. What he was calculating was the nature of these allegations and public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” Jay-Z said in a statement. we He denies these allegations. “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose your scam in a very public way. So no, I won't give you a single red penny!!
The statement continued: “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!! Anyone who commits such a crime against a minor should be imprisoned, don't you agree? If so, these alleged victims deserve real justice.
Jay-Z added that the allegations were “outrageous” and noted that he had done some digging on Buzbee.
“This lawyer, who I did a little research on, seems to have a pattern of these kinds of theatrics!” Jay-Z wrote. “I have no idea how you became such a miserable human being, Mr. Buzbee, but I promise I've seen people like you many times. I'm more than prepared to deal with your kind. You claim to be a Marine?! Marines are known for their bravery, you have no honor and no dignity.”
Has Jane Doe been weighed?
After Jay-Z denied the allegations and claimed the lawsuit was an attempt at “extortion,” Jane Doe said through Busbee that she “never asked for a dime.” From the musician.
“Mr. Carter has previously denied that he was the person who filed a lawsuit against me and my company. He even filed his frivolous case under a pseudonym. “What he failed to say in his final statement is that my company sent his attorney a demand letter on behalf of an alleged victim and that that victim did not Never ask him for a penny,” Buzbee told TMZ in a Dec. 8 statement, accusing Jay-Z of being one of the anonymous male celebrities who sued him last month.
“Instead, I only requested confidential mediation,” Busbee continued. Since I sent the letter on her behalf, Mr. Carter has not only sued me, but has attempted to bully and harass me and this plaintiff. His behavior had the opposite effect. I was encouraged. “I am very proud of her design.”
What legal action did Jay Z take?
we It was confirmed on December 9 that Jay-Z presented A.J Motion to dismiss The lawsuit accuses him of rape. According to the documents he obtained weJay-Z requested dismissal for “lack of jurisdiction due to plaintiff's lack of standing.”
“Plaintiff has provided no evidence — no affidavit, declaration, or specific factual support — to determine the type of serious harm necessary to justify the alias,” the document states.
Did Tony Buzbee respond?
On December 10, Buzbee filed a motion to proceed with the Jane Doe case anonymously. However, Jay-Z's legal team objected and subsequently filed a motion to dismiss.
“Mr. Carter is completely innocent. This is blackmail. He is not mentioned, referenced or implicated in any way in the criminal investigation of Mr. Combs,” the letter said. “He is neither a target nor a person of interest in this investigation.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call National Sexual Assault Hotline At 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
