Jane Doe Recants Allegations Against Jay-Z, Declares Claims False

A woman who filed a lawsuit in December 2024 accusing Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter of sexual assault has now withdrawn her claims. In a 12-page declaration submitted to Manhattan federal court, she stated under penalty of perjury that she never met or spoke to Carter and that there is "no truth to any of my claims against Mr. Carter." She acknowledged that her false accusations caused the rapper "immense pain, suffering, and damage that can never be fully undone."

The declaration was filed alongside a notice that Carter is voluntarily dismissing the woman as a defendant in his malicious-prosecution suit against attorney Tony Buzbee and his Texas firm. Jane Doe’s new counsel, James Blair Newman, Jr., said the client “sincerely and unconditionally apologizes to Mr. Carter and his family.”

Carter’s lawsuit originated after the woman’s earlier complaint, filed in October 2024, named Sean "Diddy" Combs and an unidentified male celebrity as alleged perpetrators. Carter denied the allegations and sued Buzbee for extortion, claiming the lawyer’s demand letter threatened his reputation and finances. A California appellate court later upheld the dismissal of Carter’s extortion case, finding the demand letter protected as a pre-litigation communication.

In her declaration, the woman explained that her legal claim began after responding to a Facebook advertisement seeking individuals with assault claims against Combs. She later said she began doubting her allegations in January 2025 and that her lawyers informed her they would dismiss the suit. Buzbee, reached by email, said he had not seen the new declaration and noted the plaintiff had previously provided consistent statements to multiple attorneys.

The latest filing leaves Carter’s malicious-prosecution case in New York as his remaining action against Buzbee and his firm.