The woman who accused Jay-Z of raping her when she was 13 years old has fully recanted her allegations, and apologized for the “immense pain” she caused the rapper and his family, including wife Beyoncé.
“Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter never raped me. I have never met or spoken to Mr. Carter,” the woman, who has remained anonymous and is identified as Jane Doe, said in a declaration filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court.
“Mr. Carter never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward me whatsoever,” she continued.
The woman who accused Jay-Z of raping her when she was 13 years old has fully recanted her allegations. REUTERS
She also apologized for the “immense pain” she caused the rapper and his family, including wife Beyoncé. WireImage
“There is no truth to any of my claims against Mr. Carter. I understand my false accusations have caused Mr. Carter immense pain, suffering, and damage that can never be fully undone.”
The woman also said she “sincerely and unconditionally” apologized to the “Empire State of Mind” rapper for the “devastating harm” she caused to him, his family and his reputation.
Doe’s current attorney, J. Blair Newman, similarly said in a statement to Page Six that his client “maintains that she was a victim of sexual assault,” but was “entirely mistaken” when she identified Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, as one of her alleged attackers.
“Mr. Carter did not rape her, sexually assault her, engage in any inappropriate conduct towards her, and she has never met him,” Newman said.
“She sincerely and unconditionally apologizes to Mr. Carter and his family.”
Doe alleged in her 2024 lawsuit that Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs (seen above) raped her at an after-party following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000, when she was 13. Kevin Mazur
She initially sued Combs and later amended her complaint to name Jay-Z as the second alleged assailant. Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Doe previously alleged in a 2024 lawsuit that Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs raped her at an after-party following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000, when she was 13.
She initially sued Combs and later amended her complaint to name Jay-Z as the second alleged assailant.
Jay-Z, 56, vehemently denied the allegations from the start, calling them “heinous” and expressing concern about the effect they would have on Beyoncé, 45, and their three children: Blue Ivy, 14, and 9-year-old twins Rumi and Sir.
“My only heartbreak is for my family,” the Grammy winner said after the allegations surfaced in December 2024.
Jay-Z, 56, vehemently denied the allegations from the start, calling them “heinous” and expressing concern about the effect they would have on Beyoncé, 45, and their three children: Blue Ivy, 14, and 9-year-old twins Rumi and Sir. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
“My only heartbreak is for my family,” the Grammy winner said after the allegations surfaced in December 2024. Getty Images
“My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims,” he continued at the time.
Doe voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit with prejudice in February 2025.
Jay-Z celebrated the dismissal as a “victory,” saying the allegations had caused lasting trauma for his family.
“The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed,” he said at the time.
A month after the case was dismissed, Page Six reported that Doe was heard on a recording telling private investigators that Jay-Z did not rape her — while also claiming attorney Tony Buzbee had “pushed” her to pursue allegations against the rapper.
The music mogul subsequently took legal action against Doe and her former attorney, Tony Buzbee, accusing them of malicious prosecution, abuse of process and defamation.
Jay-Z opened up about the ordeal earlier this year, admitting the allegations left him “heartbroken” and filled with “uncontrollable anger.”
Doe said in her new declaration that she was not threatened or coerced into recanting her allegations and had not received or been promised any money from Jay-Z or anyone acting on his behalf.
She also detailed how she came to make the allegations, saying she saw a Facebook advertisement in 2024 seeking people who may have sexual assault claims against Combs.
“Mr. Carter never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward me whatsoever,” Doe continued in her latest filing. Lionel Urman / SplashNews.com
“There is no truth to any of my claims against Mr. Carter. I understand my false accusations have caused Mr. Carter immense pain, suffering, and damage that can never be fully undone.” Getty Images for Roc Nation
According to Doe, the advertisement triggered memories of being raped when she was 13, leading her to contact a law firm. Her case was eventually referred to Buzbee.
Doe said she disclosed mental health conditions to the attorneys handling her case but claimed she was not questioned about whether they could affect her memory or recollection.
She further claimed her allegations were not adequately vetted before the lawsuit was filed and said she eventually began doubting her own account, including whether she had ever attended a celebrity-filled party in the first place.
Doe had publicly acknowledged problems with her story before dropping the case.
During a December 2024 interview with NBC News, she conceded there were “inconsistencies” in her account after several details could not be corroborated.
Among them, Doe claimed she spoke with musician Benji Madden at the party, though a rep for the Good Charlotte rocker said he and twin brother Joel Madden were on tour in the Midwest at the time.
After Doe’s initial filing, the music mogul subsequently took legal action against her, her former attorney, Tony Buzbee, accusing them of malicious prosecution, abuse of process and defamation. Following her recantation, however, Jay-Z’s attorneys filed a notice voluntarily dismissing Doe as a defendant. Lionel Urman / SplashNews.com
His malicious-prosecution case against Buzbee, his law firm and other defendants remains pending. CBS via Getty Images
She also claimed her father picked her up in New York following the alleged assault and drove her more than five hours home, but her dad told NBC News he had no recollection of making such a trip.
Doe now maintains that she was sexually assaulted when she was young but says Jay-Z had nothing to do with the alleged attack.
Following her recantation, Jay-Z’s attorneys filed a notice voluntarily dismissing Doe as a defendant in his ongoing lawsuit.
His malicious-prosecution case against Buzbee, his law firm and other defendants remains pending.
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