The woman who previously accused rap mogul Jay-Z of sexual assault has officially recanted her claims, admitting in court documents that she never actually met the artist. This significant development marks a total reversal of the allegations that first surfaced in late 2024.
As reported by CBS News, in a 12-page declaration, the anonymous accuser stated clearly, “Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter never raped me. I have never met or spoken to Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward me whatsoever.”
Shawn Carter, who is known professionally as Jay-Z, has consistently denied these accusations since they were first brought against him. The woman acknowledged the weight of her previous actions, noting that she understood her “false accusations have caused Mr. Carter immense pain, suffering and damage that can never be fully undone.”
She claims the original lawsuit was filed without her direct knowledge
Following this recantation, Carter filed a notice to voluntarily dismiss the woman as a defendant in his ongoing malicious prosecution lawsuit against the Texas-based law firm that initially represented her. The original legal action against Carter began when the woman amended a lawsuit in December 2024, claiming she was raped by both Carter and Sean Diddy Combs during a teen encounter at a Video Music Awards afterparty.
She had alleged that after feeling lightheaded from a drink, she went to lie down and was subsequently assaulted by the two men while a third person watched. Her new lawyer, James Blair Newman Jr., clarified that while she still maintains she was a victim of sexual assault, she was entirely mistaken in her identification of Carter, and those specific allegations were false.
The woman explained that her involvement began after seeing a Facebook ad seeking individuals with potential claims against Combs, who is currently serving a four-year sentence for prostitution-related charges. She claims that the ad triggered memories of a past assault, leading her to contact the company behind the post, which eventually connected her with the Buzbee Law Firm.
In her declaration, she claimed that the initial October 2024 lawsuit was filed by Tony Buzbee and his firm without her direct knowledge. She also noted that by January 2025, she began to doubt the validity of her claims against Carter and questioned if she had ever attended a party with celebrities at all.
Carter has pursued legal action against both the woman and the Buzbee Law Firm, alleging that they conspired to pressure him into a secret financial settlement. He claimed that the firm sent an extortionate demand letter in October 2024, and after he refused to pay, the lawsuit was amended to include him. In his own filing, Carter noted that the trauma he, his family, and his loved ones have endured because of the allegations can never be dismissed.
Published: Sep 26, 2026 04:45 pm