The anonymous woman who sued Jay-Z late last year claims attorney Tony Buzbee “pushed” her to falsely accuse the music mogul of raping her, along with Sean “Diddy” Combs, in a since-dismissed lawsuit.
The Jane Doe told private investigators that Buzbee — who’s representing over 100 Diddy accusers — encouraged her to sue Jay-Z for allegedly assaulting her at an after-party following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000, when she was 13 years old.
In a recording obtained by ABC News, the woman can be heard telling investigators that Jay-Z “was there” at the after-party in question, but did not actually touch her.
When asked by investigators if Jay-Z, now 55, “was just there but didn’t have anything to do with any sexual acts” towards Jane Doe, the woman simply responds, “Yeah.”
She says Buzbee “kind of pushed” her into going forward with the lawsuit against the rapper, but doesn’t know why.
In response to the recording, Buzbee issued a statement to ABC News, calling Doe’s claims “a blatant lie.” He also provided his own recording of a call with the accuser, in which she says she “never said” she made up the rape allegation and denies she accused Buzbee of pushing her to sue the rapper to get more money.
Jay-Z has vehemently denied the “heinous” claims against him since they were first made in December. His attorney, Alex Spiro, told the outlet his client never even met the woman.
Doe initially sued Combs in October, in the weeks after the Bad Boy founder was arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. She refiled her lawsuit in early December to include Jay-Z, but ultimately dropped the lawsuit last month.
In a sworn declaration, the accuser said she felt intimidated and while she “ultimately chose not to pursue” her allegations of rape, she still “stand[s] by” them, per ABC News.
Earlier this month, Jay-Z filed a defamation lawsuit against the Jane Doe, Buzbee, and lawyer David Fortney, alleging the woman’s claims cost him $20 million.