Rapper Jay-Z is suing a woman who dropped her claim that he raped her at age 13. The defamation case accuses the woman’s lawyers of pressuring her into making false allegations to extort money and damage Jay-Z’s reputation.
The woman had filed a lawsuit in October, accusing both Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of rape after the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. Both rappers denied the claims. Jay-Z is now suing the woman, claiming her lawyers orchestrated the lawsuit to harm his reputation.
Jay-Z’s team says the woman told them that her lawyers made her make false allegations against him. The defamation suit also notes discrepancies in the woman’s interview with NBC News last year, including a claim about another celebrity guest who was not at the party.
The woman’s father contradicts her account of being picked up after the alleged assault. Jay-Z claims the accusations have caused personal and professional harm, including losing $20m worth of business contracts and taking an emotional toll on his family.
Jay-Z’s lawyers say the case has “no legal merit” and that Jay-Z’s team is trying to intimidate the woman into retracting her statements. The woman’s lawyer denies any wrongdoing and claims Jay-Z’s team harassed her for weeks.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y08ye0xm2o