Jay-Z Claims ‘Victory’ as Rape Case Against Him and Diddy Is ‘Voluntarily Dismissed’

The lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z over the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl after she was driven to an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000 has been dismissed by the lawyers representing Jane Doe, according to a court filing obtained by PEOPLE on Friday, Feb. 14, in New York.

The voluntary dismissal was filed by attorneys Tony Buzbee and Antigone Curis, claiming that the Jane Doe who accused the rappers of sexual assault “hereby gives notice that the above-captioned Action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice.” The suit cannot be refiled.

Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) issued a statement on Roc Nation’s X account after the dismissal calling it “a victory.” In his response, the rapper also says these allegations caused trauma for his wife and three children.

“Today is a victory,” he wrote. “The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed. This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims. I would not wish this experience on anyone,” his statement read. “The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed.”

In the lawsuit, originally filed on Oct. 20, 2024, the unnamed woman alleged that she was raped by Combs and Jay-Z, while a still-unnamed female celebrity watched during a party in a N.Y.C. residence after the 2000 VMAs. She added Jay-Z’s name to the suit two months later.

“Defendant Sean Combs, along with his longtime friend and collaborator Shawn Carter (a/k/a ‘JayZ’), drugged and raped a thirteen-year-old girl at an afterparty following the 2000 Video Music Awards,” the suit claimed. “Another celebrity stood by and watched as Combs and Carter took turns assaulting the minor.”

Jay-Z’s attorney Alex Spiro issued a statement: “The false case against JAY-Z, that never should have been brought, has been dismissed with prejudice. By standing up in the face of heinous and false allegations, Jay has done what few can – he pushed back, he never settled, he never paid 1 red penny, he triumphed and cleared his name.”

Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing Doe and multiple victims in allegations against Diddy, said in a statement to PEOPLE: “We have no comment.”

Combs’ attorneys first denied the allegations in December last year. “Today’s complete dismissal without a settlement by the 1-800 attorney is yet another confirmation that these lawsuits are built on falsehoods, not facts,” his attorney told PEOPLE. “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.”

Last year, Jay-Z was quickly defended himself, claiming that his attorney was sent “blackmail” to pressure him into settling out of court. He called the accusation false, and spoke out against Jane Doe’s attorney Buzbee.

“What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion,” Jay-Z wrote in part on Dec. 8. “So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”

The aftermath led to months of court filings and a public back-and-forth between Jay-Z, Roc Nation and Buzbee. Last year, Jane Doe told NBC News that she had “made some mistakes” when recalling the “catastrophic event.” However, she said that although her report of the incident contains inconsistencies, it does not mean her allegations are false. In December, a judge ruled she could proceed anonymously in the case.

Per NBC News, Doe’s inconsistencies include the report that her father picked her up after the alleged sexual assault, but he says he doesn’t recall that. Doe also claimed she spoke to a celebrity, Benji Madden, at the afterparty, but that celebrity said he was not in New York at the time. Additionally, photos from the event show Jay-Z and Combs at different locations; however, the rappers’ whereabouts for the entire evening are unknown.

“You should always advocate for yourself and be a voice for yourself,” the now 38-year-old woman told NBC News at the time. “You should never let what somebody else did ruin or run your life. I just hope I can give others the strength to come forward like I came forward.”

Last month, Jay-Z filed a motion to dismiss the ongoing lawsuit. On Jan. 2, Judge Analisa Torres of the Southern District of New York granted the request, which claimed that there were a series of inconsistencies in the woman’s account.

“This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions,” Jay-Z’s statement continued. “The system has failed. The court must protect victims, OF COURSE, while with the same ethical responsibility, the courts must protect the innocent from being accused without a shred of evidence. May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally.”

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Although the case against Jay-Z has been dismissed, Combs still faces over 40 civil lawsuits. Since September 2024, he has been in jail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. His trial begins in May 2025.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.