Jay-Z and Sean Combs rape lawsuit dropped by accuser

A woman who accused Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs of raping her in 2000 when she was 13 has dismissed her civil lawsuit against the hip-hop moguls.

A filing in federal court in Manhattan said the plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe, voluntarily dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning she cannot bring it again.

Tony Buzbee, a lawyer for the woman, declined to comment.

Combs is currently in prison awaiting a scheduled 5 May criminal trial on racketeering and sex trafficking charges.

Read more from Sky News:
Grimes criticises Musk
One of UK's most wanted men jailed
'City killer' asteroid could hit Earth

He still faces dozens of other civil lawsuits by women and men, including many represented by Buzbee's firm, who accused him of sexual assault and other misconduct.

Combs has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case and has maintained his innocence in all the cases.

The Doe lawsuit was the only one to name Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, as a defendant, and he had denied the woman's claims.

"Today is a victory," Carter said in a statement posted online by his entertainment company Roc Nation.

"The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed. This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere."

Carter said the case also caused trauma for his wife Beyonce, and their children.

In a joint statement, Combs' lawyers maintained that their client has never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone.

"We will continue to fight these baseless claims and hold those responsible," the lawyers said.

Doe accused Carter and Combs of raping her at an afterparty following the 2000 MTV Music Video Awards.

(c) Sky News 2025: Jay-Z and Sean Combs rape lawsuit dropped by accuser