Jay-Z Accuser Recants Rape Allegation, Apologizes to Beyonce

An Alabama woman who accused Jay-Z of rape when she was 13 has officially recanted her allegations, stating there is "no truth" to the claim and offering a sincere apology to the rapper and his family. The accuser, identified as Jane Doe, initially filed a lawsuit in New York in October 2024, alleging she was assaulted by Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs at an afterparty for the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.

Her case was dismissed in February 2025 by her attorney, Tony Buzbee. Subsequently, Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, filed a countersuit against Buzbee, his Texas law firm, and Doe herself.

In new court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, Doe, now represented by Alabama lawyer J. Blair Newman, stated she had "never met or spoken to" Carter and that she was recanting "voluntarily" without any payment. Newman clarified in a statement to TMZ that while their client maintains she was a victim of sexual assault, she was "entirely mistaken" in identifying Carter, and her allegations were false. "Mr. Carter did not rape her, sexually assault her, engage in any inappropriate conduct towards her, and she has never met him," Newman added. "She sincerely and unconditionally apologizes to Mr. Carter and his family."

Doe's filing also detailed her interactions with Buzbee's firm, suggesting she informed one of their attorneys, David Fortney, that she was suffering from "mental health conditions" but claimed he did not inquire if these conditions affected her memory of the alleged events. The Daily Mail has reached out to Fortney for comment.

According to Doe's latest filing, her pursuit of a lawsuit began after seeing a Facebook advertisement in September or October 2024 for individuals with sexual assault claims against Combs. A link led her to the AVA Law Group, with whom she discussed an alleged incident at an afterparty for the 2000 Teen Choice Awards, not the MTV Video Music Awards as initially stated. Her communications with AVA Law Group ultimately led to her representation by the Buzbee Law Firm.

Doe maintained in her filing that she never received a draft of her October 2024 complaint against Carter before it was submitted, and she was unaware Buzbee was filing suit on her behalf until weeks later. By January 2025, she reportedly began having doubts about her claims against Carter and even about attending a party with celebrities at all.

Buzbee, in response to the Daily Mail's request for comment, expressed confusion regarding Doe's current statements. He asserted that she had approved all allegations and signed four affidavits confirming the truth of her claims. Buzbee also stated that Doe spoke with five different lawyers from two different firms who confirmed her story. "Why she has changed her story is an important question that we don’t have the answer to," Buzbee said.

Following the dismissal of Doe's lawsuit in February 2025, Carter had publicly celebrated his "victory" over what he called "frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations." He described the trauma his family endured as something that "can never be dismissed."

In his subsequent countersuit, Carter accused the defendants of being "soullessly motivated by greed, in abject disregard of the truth and the most fundamental precepts of human decency." Buzbee responded to the countersuit on Facebook, calling Carter's claims of extortion "stupidly frivolous."

Reports indicate that Carter has withdrawn his complaint against Doe following her recantation but is still pursuing legal action against Buzbee. In a letter to the judge overseeing the dispute, Buzbee alleged that Carter obtained Doe's recantation by agreeing to dismiss her from his countersuit. He also accused Carter of relying on testimony from a witness whom Buzbee and his counsel had previously deemed unreliable.

Meanwhile, Sean "Diddy" Combs was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges in July but was found guilty on two lesser charges related to prostitution. His prison release date has been moved to February 5, 2028.

Earlier this year, Carter spoke to GQ about the impact of the rape allegation, confessing that it sent him into a state of "uncontrollable anger" and left him "heartbroken."