Jay-Z’s attorney on Monday vigorously denied rape allegations made against the rapper, saying the accuser’s account is “provably, demonstrably false.”
The woman, who has not been identified, accused Jay-Z and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her in 2000 at an after-party for the MTV Music Awards. In an interview with NBC News last week, the woman claimed she was 13 at the time and was assaulted by the two men at a private residence. She has since acknowledged inconsistencies in her story.
At a press conference at Roc Nation’s New York office, Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, presented evidence he said disproved the woman’s claims. Spiro argued that the accuser’s timeline was “impossible” and her description of events was inaccurate.
According to the lawsuit, the woman said she sneaked out of her home in Rochester, New York, and traveled to the MTV Awards with a friend who has since died. She claimed to have watched the event from a jumbotron outside the venue, then met a limousine driver who took her to a house party where the alleged assault took place. Afterward, she said she fled the scene and called her father for a ride from a nearby gas station.
Spiro, however, pointed to a series of discrepancies, including the claim of a jumbotron outside the VMAs in 2000, which he said did not exist. He also noted that it would have taken the woman approximately five hours to drive from Rochester to the event, making her timeline unfeasible.
“The story doesn’t just not make sense — it’s provably, demonstrably false,” Spiro said. “This never happened.”
The woman’s father has also said he does not recall driving to New York City to pick her up after the alleged assault, further complicating her account.
The lawsuit comes amid a series of sexual assault allegations against Combs, who is currently in federal custody in New York facing sex trafficking charges. Combs, who has pleaded not guilty, is set to stand trial in May.
The claims against Combs and Jay-Z were filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which allows victims of sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits regardless of the statute of limitations. The woman initially sued Combs but later amended her complaint to include Jay-Z as a defendant, accusing both men of participating in the assault while a third celebrity allegedly watched.
The case is being handled by Tony Buzbee, a Houston-based personal injury attorney who has represented numerous individuals in sexual misconduct cases. Buzbee previously stated that he was representing over 120 people with allegations against Combs.
Last month, Jay-Z filed a lawsuit against Buzbee, accusing the lawyer of attempting to extort him by threatening to go public with the rape allegation unless a settlement was reached. Buzbee has denied the claims, saying the letter was intended to arrange a confidential mediation.
In a statement last week, Jay-Z expressed his support for “true victims” of sexual assault, while Spiro on Monday accused Buzbee of exploiting the woman’s case.
“The real victims are the ones whose voices are being drowned out by this,” Spiro said.
Buzbee, in an emailed response, said the woman was referred to him by another law firm and had been thoroughly vetted by multiple attorneys. He maintained that his client remains confident in her allegations.
“Courts exist to resolve factual disputes,” Buzbee said. “Our client remains adamant about her claim.”
