Jay-Z Accuser Recants Sexual Assault Allegations, Says She Never Met Rapper

A woman who previously accused American rapper Jay-Z of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 has formally recanted her allegations, stating in a new court declaration that her claims against the rapper were false and that she had never met or spoken to him.

The woman, who has remained anonymous and is identified as Jane Doe in court documents, made the statements in a 12-page declaration filed in federal court in New York on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

According to the declaration reviewed by CBS News and reported by multiple major news organizations, Jane Doe stated that Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter never raped her, never sexually assaulted her and never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward her.

She also said there was no truth to her previous claims against the rapper.

“I have never met or spoken to Mr. Carter,” she stated in the declaration, according to CBS News. She further acknowledged that her previous accusations had caused Jay-Z significant pain, suffering and damage.

How the Original Allegations Began

The original lawsuit was filed in 2024. Jane Doe alleged that she had been sexually assaulted after the MTV Video Music Awards in New York in 2000, when she was 13.

The lawsuit initially focused on allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs before Jay-Z was later identified as another alleged participant.

Both Jay-Z and Combs denied the allegations.

Jane Doe eventually voluntarily dropped the lawsuit in 2025. Jay-Z subsequently pursued legal action against the woman and lawyers involved in the case, accusing them of malicious prosecution and other wrongdoing.

Woman Says Her Claims Were False

In her latest declaration, Jane Doe explicitly withdrew her allegations against Jay-Z.

She said that she had never met or spoken to the rapper and that her allegations identifying him as an assailant were false.

Her current attorney, James Blair Newman Jr., provided a clarification regarding her latest position.

“Our client maintains that she was a victim of sexual assault, but she was entirely mistaken in her allegations identifying Mr. Carter,” Newman said, according to CNN.

He added that Jay-Z did not rape or sexually assault her and that she had never met him.

Jane Doe also stated that she had not received money or a promise of financial compensation from Jay-Z or anyone acting on his behalf in exchange for the declaration. Reuters reported the same point from the court filing.

Jay-Z Drops Claims Against Woman

Following the new declaration, Jay-Z’s legal team filed a notice voluntarily dismissing the woman as a defendant in his federal malicious-prosecution lawsuit.

However, the legal dispute is not completely over.

Jay-Z’s case against her former attorneys, including prominent Texas lawyer Tony Buzbee, remains ongoing, according to Rolling Stone and CNN.

Buzbee has disputed the suggestion that his firm knowingly pursued false allegations. In a statement reported by Rolling Stone, he said the new declaration was information he had not previously seen and that the woman had given the same account to several lawyers before he became involved.

What Jane Doe Says Led to the Allegations

In her new declaration, Jane Doe said she responded to a Facebook advertisement seeking people who had sexual assault claims involving Sean Combs.

She said the advertisement triggered memories of an alleged sexual assault from when she was 13.

According to CNN’s report on the declaration, she later began questioning her own recollection and eventually doubted whether she had ever attended the celebrity party described in her original lawsuit.

She said she began doubting her claims against Jay-Z in January 2025.

A Separate Legal Battle Continues

The latest development comes shortly after a California appeals court rejected Jay-Z’s attempt to revive a separate lawsuit against Buzbee involving allegations of extortion and defamation.

That California case is distinct from the federal malicious-prosecution lawsuit that Jay-Z continues to pursue against Buzbee and his law firm in New York.

The California appellate court had ruled earlier in September 2026 that the record did not establish that Buzbee knowingly made false accusations or acted with reckless disregard for their truth.

Jay-Z has consistently denied the original allegations.

With Jane Doe now formally stating in court that her allegations against Jay-Z were false and that she had never met him, the rapper’s legal team has withdrawn its claims against her. The separate case involving the attorneys who represented her remains pending.