A woman who previously accused American rapper Jay-Z of sexually assaulting her as a teenager has withdrawn the allegations, admitting that they were false and that she had never met or spoken to the musician.
The woman, identified as “Jane Doe” in the lawsuit, had alleged that Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs sexually assaulted her after the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards when she was 13 years old.
She filed the civil lawsuit in December 2024, naming both musicians as defendants.
However, in an interview with the BBC, she acknowledged that significant parts of her account were inaccurate.
She said she now recognises that she was mistaken about key details, including where she had been and how she spent the night in question.
Jane Doe also confirmed that she had never met Jay-Z before the alleged incident and had never spoken to him.
Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, has consistently denied the allegation.
Following the withdrawal of the claims, his legal team described the development as a vindication for the rapper, who had repeatedly maintained that the allegations were false.
The lawsuit was dismissed in February 2025 after the woman voluntarily withdrew the case. She did not receive a settlement from Jay-Z as part of the dismissal.
The woman told the BBC that she had been dealing with significant personal difficulties at the time she made the allegations and that she regretted bringing the case.
She also said she had received financial assistance from a lawyer involved in the case, although she maintained that money was not the reason she made the allegations.
The development brings renewed attention to the civil case, which had attracted considerable public interest because of the high-profile names involved.
Jay-Z has maintained that he was wrongly accused and has continued to deny any involvement in the alleged assault.
