Jay-Z Accuser Recants Allegations, Says She Misidentified Him

A woman who accused Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, of raping her when she was 13 at a 2000 MTV Video Music Awards after-party has formally recanted, saying the claims against him were false and that she had never met or spoken with him. Her 2024 lawsuit also named Sean “Diddy” Combs; both men denied the allegations, and she withdrew the suit in 2025. She maintains she was sexually assaulted but was mistaken in identifying Carter. Carter has dropped her from his malicious-prosecution lawsuit against her former lawyers, including Tony Buzbee, whose legal action continues. She says she was neither paid nor promised compensation for her declaration; Buzbee says he had not seen it and that she had previously given the same account to multiple lawyers.