A woman who accused hip-hop moguls Sean “Diddy” Combs and Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 has voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit, according to court records filed on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The lawsuit, initially filed in December, alleged that Combs and Carter assaulted the plaintiff at a party following the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2000. However, the latest court filing states that the plaintiff “hereby gives notice that the above-captioned action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice,” meaning the case cannot be refiled.
It remains unclear whether a settlement was reached between the parties. However, Jay-Z, 55, strongly denied the allegations and welcomed the case’s dismissal.
“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,” he said in a statement. “I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed.”
The original complaint accused both Combs and Carter of taking turns assaulting the plaintiff while another celebrity allegedly watched. It also alleged that many attendees at the event witnessed the assault but did nothing to intervene.
Meanwhile, Combs, also 55, faces separate criminal charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering. Federal prosecutors claim he orchestrated a scheme to sexually exploit women, coercing them into drug-fueled encounters through threats and violence. Combs has denied all charges, and his criminal trial is scheduled to begin on May 5.
Comments