NEW YORK — An attorney representing Jay-Z has presented substantial evidence asserting that the rape allegations made against him last week by an unnamed woman are “provably, demonstrably false.”
The woman alleges that Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs sexually assaulted her in 2000 when she was just 13 years old during an after-party for the MTV Music Awards. However, she has since recognized some inconsistencies within her account.
Addressing the media at Roc Nation’s headquarters in New York, Jay-Z’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, claimed that the story presented by the accuser is based on an “impossible timeline” alongside a location that doesn’t exist. According to the lawsuit, the alleged assault took place at a “large white residence with a U-shaped driveway.” However, there are photos that indicate both Jay-Z, whose full name is Shawn Carter, and Combs were at a nightclub following the award ceremony at that time.
In the lawsuit, the woman mentioned that she sneaked out of her Rochester home and managed to hitch a ride to the awards event with a friend, who has since passed away. Furthermore, she stated she watched the awards ceremony unfold on a jumbotron and later befriended a limousine driver who took her to the house party where she claims the assault occurred.
Following the purported rape, the woman stated she escaped the house and made a call to her father to pick her up from a gas station nearby. However, Spiro argued that her allegations “defy credibility,” explaining that it would have taken her five hours to drive from Rochester, implying that she would need to have left her home by 3 p.m. Additionally, permits and photographs from that year show there was no jumbotron outside the VMAs in 2000. Moreover, the woman’s father has commented that he does not remember retrieving her from New York City after the alleged incident.
“This story is not just a lie; it’s provably, demonstrably false,” Spiro declared. “This never happened.”
The lawsuit is filed against the backdrop of numerous sexual assault claims against Combs, who is currently in custody in New York while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial in May.
The timing of the claims coincides with the nearing expiration of the Adult Survivors Act, a New York law that provides victims of sexual abuse the opportunity to file civil actions for one year regardless of the statute of limitations.
Initially, the woman filed a lawsuit against Combs, which was later amended to include a new allegation that Jay-Z was also involved in the sexual assault while a third unidentified celebrity witnessed the event.
The case is being handled by Tony Buzbee, a Houston-based personal injury lawyer whose firm has established a toll-free hotline for accusers. In October, Buzbee mentioned representing around 120 individuals with sexual misconduct allegations against Combs.
In the previous month, Jay-Z anonymously filed a lawsuit against Buzbee, claiming the attorney attempted to blackmail him by threatening to publicize the rape allegation if he did not enter into a legal settlement. Buzbee, however, maintained that the letter was merely intended to arrange a confidential mediation discussion.
In a statement last week, Jay-Z expressed his support for genuine victims of sexual crimes, indicating that his “heart and support goes out to true victims in the world.”
On Monday, Spiro accused Buzbee of exploiting the woman while undermining the voices of genuine victims. In response, Buzbee stated in an email that the woman had been referred to him by another law firm and vetted by four attorneys within his own firm.
“Courts exist to resolve factual disputes,” Buzbee commented. “Our client remains adamant about her claim.”