Rapper Jay-Z has 99 problems, and one of them is an Alabama woman, according to a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama Mobile Division.
The lawsuit, first reported by Lagniappe, was filed in March against "Jane Doe" and the Buzbee Law Firm attorneys Anthony Buzbee and David Fortney.
The 38-year-old Alabama woman was interviewed by NBC News last year, claiming Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs raped her after the MTV Music Awards in 2000, when she was 13 years old. Her claims are detailed in a demand letter to Jay-Z sent in November, just two months after the high-profile arrest of Combs in a sex trafficking and racketeering indictment.
Following the interview, NBC News vetted some of "Jane Doe's" claims. Some of the apparent witnesses "Jane Doe" identified were not in New York for the MTV Music Awards in 2000 and "Jane Doe's" father, who she claimed picked her up after she was drugged and raped, told the network he did not remember ever driving from their Rochester, NY home to pick her up as she stated in the interview.
After being confronted with the inconsistencies, "Jane Doe" admitted to "some mistakes" but continued with her case against Jay-Z.
Jay-Z's attorneys stated that the claims were false, malicious, strategically and tactically calculated, and that the defendants were "soullessly motivated by greed, in abject disregard of the truth and the most fundamental precepts of human decency."
The plaintiff said "Jane Doe" eventually admitted Jay-Z never sexually assaulted her after an attempt to extort him failed to yield the "financial windfall they sought." The suit claims Buzbee pushed "Jane Doe" to come forward with the story. They said "Jane Doe" met the Texas lawyer for the first time in a Houston coffee shop on the same day of the NBC interview.
Jay-Z's attorneys said "Jane Doe" needed money after losing custody of her children and after her parents, who financially supported her, began bankruptcy filings. Although they did not name her in the lawsuit, they said that less than three months before the lawsuit was filed, she was arrested for assault and had her bail revoked after failing a drug test.
After "Jane Doe" admitted she was not sexually assaulted, the Plaintiffs claimed members of the Buzbee law firm continued to push her and "perpetuate the lies and hold out hope for an unwarranted payment."
The lawsuit claims Buzbee finally sent Fortney to Alabama to convince "Jane Doe" that the case against Jay-Z needed to be dismissed, but not because of the false allegations. Instead, he claimed Jay-Z had made threats against her life, and it was too dangerous to move forward. Jay-Z's attorneys state threats were never made.
Further, their lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York was presumptuous because the law firm never gained admission to the court's Bar.
Jay-Z also filed a federal lawsuit in California against the Buzbee firm.
Although "Jane Doe" filed for a voluntary dismissal in New York, Jay-Z's attorneys claim her team threatened them with harassment claims if they filed anything in Jay-Z's pending case in California.
The Buzbee Law Firm's website highlights its actions in prominent lawsuits against various celebrities and corporations and states that Anthony Buzbee's "aggressive tactics" help him take on "powerful opponents." Buzbee denies the allegations of extortion and claims he was simply representing his client.
Jay-Z's attorneys are asking for assumed and actual damages, punitive damages, legal fees and court costs, and pre- and post-judgment interest for malicious prosecution, abuse of process and civil conspiracy. They are also asking for a defamation claim against "Jane Doe."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning or become a member to gain access to exclusive content and 1819 News merch.
