Woman drops lawsuit against Jay-Z, Sean (Diddy) Combs alleging she was raped at age 13
Combs remains jailed in New York awaiting a criminal trial on federal sex trafficking charges
An Alabama woman who said she was raped by rappers Jay-Z and Sean (Diddy) Combs when she was 13 withdrew her civil lawsuit against both men on Friday, according to court filings.
A filing in federal court in Manhattan said the plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe, voluntarily dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning she cannot bring it again.
The unidentified woman in December added Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, to a lawsuit she had filed against Combs in Manhattan federal court, alleging that she was attacked by the rappers in 2000 after Combs' limo driver offered her a ride to an MTV Video Music Awards after party.
Jay-Z, who vehemently denied the claims and tried to get extracted from the lawsuit, called the woman's decision to withdraw the lawsuit "a victory" and said the "fictional tale" she and her lawyers created was "laughable."
"The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed," he said in a statement posted on social media. "This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere."
Combs awaiting separate criminal trial
Combs remains jailed in New York awaiting a separate criminal trial on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
He also faces a wave of sexual assault lawsuits, many of which were filed by the plaintiff's lawyer, Tony Buzbee, a Texas attorney who says his firm represents over 150 people, both men and women, who allege sexual abuse and exploitation by Combs.
Lawyers for Combs said dismissal of the lawsuit without a settlement confirmed that other lawsuits he is facing are built on falsehoods.
"For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by an attorney more focused on media headlines than legal merit. Just like this claim, the others will fall apart because there is no truth to them," they said in a statement, adding that Combs "has never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone — man or woman, adult or minor."
A message was left seeking comment from Buzbee.
Jay-Z and Combs are part of a generation of hip-hop titans who rose to prominence in the 2000s, emerging as wide-ranging entrepreneurs and two of the world's wealthiest rappers.
The artists have collaborated over the years, with Jay-Z being featured on Combs' debut album, No Way Out and Combs appearing on Jay-Z's sophomore album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1.
Diddy launched his Bad Boy Records around the same time Jay-Z launched his Roc-A-Fella record label.
The pair has been frequently photographed together at events. Jay-Z has won 25 Grammys while Diddy has collected three trophies.
With files from Reuters