A woman who accused hip-hop moguls Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 has voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit, according to court records filed on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The lawsuit, initially filed in December, alleged that Jay-Z—real name Shawn Carter—and Combs raped the plaintiff at a party following the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2000. However, the latest court filing states that the accuser “voluntarily dismisses” the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.
It remains unclear whether a settlement was reached between the woman, who has not been publicly identified, and the defendants.
Jay-Z, 55, celebrated the dismissal, denouncing the allegations as “frivolous, fictitious, and appalling.”
“This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims,” he said in a statement. “I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones, and I have endured can never be dismissed.”
The lawsuit had claimed that Combs and Carter took turns assaulting the plaintiff while another celebrity stood by without intervening. The accuser alleged that “many others were present at the afterparty but did nothing to stop the assault.”
While this case has been dismissed, Combs, also 55, is still facing federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. Prosecutors accuse him of running a coercive network that allegedly lured women into drug-fueled sex parties using threats and violence. Combs has denied all charges, and his criminal trial is scheduled to begin on May 5.
