Jay-Z’s legal team is demanding the public disclosure of the identity of a Jane Doe who has accused him of rape in a lawsuit filed alongside similar claims against Diddy. The motion, dated Dec. 9, requests either the accuser’s identity be revealed or the case dismissed entirely.
In the filing, first noted by independent reporter Meghann M. Cuniff, Jay-Z’s legal team alleges that the accuser and her attorney, Tony Buzbee, are orchestrating what they call an “extortionate campaign” against the music mogul. “For months, an extortionate campaign has been targeting this named Defendant under cover of darkness,” the motion states. “Defendant would have to pay X millions of dollars irrespective of the truth, or else.”
The motion also criticizes Buzbee, a Texas-based attorney, calling the accusations part of a larger “sprawling extortion saga.” Jay-Z’s team accuses him of leveraging media coverage to harm Jay’s reputation, stating, “Fair is fair. … It is not consistent with justice, fairness, or the rules governing federal proceedings for the Plaintiff and her counsel to smear Defendant’s good name while the core fact of Plaintiff’s identity, revelation of which stands to discredit her entire case, remains wholly hidden from view.”
The case law definitely favors Jay-Z here.
At least two plaintiffs in other sexual assault lawsuits against Sean "Diddy" Combs have already identified themselves after the assigned judge rejected requests to proceed anonymously. https://t.co/TDjtHcAPXA pic.twitter.com/f9KNFxK7E1
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) December 9, 2024
The filing underscores that Doe status is reserved for extraordinary cases, arguing that there’s no justification for anonymity in this instance. It also highlights what it describes as Jay’s “impeccable reputation” over the years, contrasted with Buzbee’s alleged “self-promoting counsel” tactics.
Jay-Z’s legal team further alleges that this case is part of broader legal action targeting prominent figures and businesses once connected to Diddy, who was recently indicted on charges of trafficking and racketeering following his September arrest.
Over the weekend, Jay was formally named in the lawsuit, sparking significant online debate. Jay-Z accused Buzbee of a prior “blackmail attempt,” which his team reiterated in the motion.
“I have no idea how you have come to be such a deplorable human, Mr. Buzbee, but I promise you I have seen your kind many times over,” Jay said in a statement shared via Roc Nation’s social media account. “You claim to be a marine? Marines are known for their valor. You have neither honor nor dignity.”
Buzbee, on the other hand, fired back with accusations of “bullying and harassment” by Jay-Z and his legal team, standing by his client’s claims.
This legal clash comes amidst broader scrutiny of prominent figures and underscores growing debates around privacy, accountability, and legal protections in high-profile cases
