Jay-Z Sues Sexual Assault Accuser and Lawyer Over Dropped Case; Calls Out False Allegations

Jay-Z has filed a lawsuit against attorney Tony Buzbee, David Fortney, and their client, Jane Doe, after they accused him of sexual assault in a case that was later dropped.

Written by Sakina Kaukawala , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 04, 2025 | 01:58 PM IST | 5.4K

Jay-Z (via Getty Images)

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to sexual assault.

Jay-Z has filed a lawsuit against attorney Tony Buzbee, David Fortney, and their client, Jane Doe, after they previously accused him of sexual assault.

The new lawsuit, filed in Alabama on March 3, claims malicious prosecution, abuse of process, and civil conspiracy against all three defendants. According to the court documents obtained by People, Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) also added a defamation claim against Jane Doe.

He is seeking assumed, actual, and punitive damages. The lawsuit states that the original sexual assault allegations were knowingly false and malicious. It also claims the lawsuit was filed at a strategic time to cause him maximum harm.

The original lawsuit was filed on October 20, 2024, and alleged that Jay-Z and Sean Diddy Combs assaulted a 13-year-old girl at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party in 2000.

Buzbee and attorney Antigone Curis voluntarily dismissed the case on February 14, 2025. The dismissal was made with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.

Jay-Z’s new lawsuit alleges that Jane Doe and her lawyers used false information to extort him. The filing states that Jane Doe voluntarily admitted to his representatives that "Carter did not assault her" and that Buzbee pushed her to move forward with the lawsuit in hopes of securing a payout.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Buzbee denied the allegations. “This new case alleges the same claims as the other one they pieced together and filed in Los Angeles. Like the one in LA, this new case in Alabama also has no legal merit,” he said.

He added, “After speaking with Jane Doe today, it appears that the quotes attributed to her in the lawsuit are completely made up, or they spoke to someone who isn’t Jane Doe.” Buzbee also claimed that Jay-Z’s team was trying to intimidate and bully Jane Doe into retracting her allegations.

Jay-Z also filed a lawsuit against Buzbee in Los Angeles in December 2024, accusing him of civil extortion, defamation, and emotional distress. In that case, a judge ruled that the defamation claim has merit to proceed to trial, though the extortion claim may be dismissed.

Jay-Z claims the false allegations cost him $20 million in business contracts and caused him mental anguish. He also said Buzbee intentionally filed the original lawsuit before his daughter Blue Ivy’s movie premiere to damage his reputation.

Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.