Attorney Tony Buzbee has hit back at allegations from rapper and businessman Jay-Z, who recently claimed that Buzbee’s actions amounted to extortion in an ongoing lawsuit filed against the hip-hop mogul.
Lawyer refutes extortion claims amid legal battle
Responding to the allegations, Buzbee wrote in an X post:
“No one has made any threats. Jay-Z’s assertions are bogus and laughable. Instead, our firm sent a standard demand letter seeking mediation on behalf of a woman who alleges Jay-Z sexually assaulted her as a minor.”
Buzbee explained that this approach was designed to avoid litigation and added:
“What you are seeing played out now is a coordinated and desperate effort to focus the public’s attention on me personally to avoid attention on the allegations being made by my clients.”
He further accused Jay-Z’s legal team of harassment, claiming that they had “harassed my family and colleagues and even offered former clients money to sue me—which is illegal.”
RelatedPosts
Buzbee vowed to address these matters in court, stating:
“We will not be bullied or intimidated by these shenanigans. And our clients won’t be silenced.”
Jay-Z’s legal defence
Buzbee’s remarks come in the wake of a motion filed by Jay-Z’s lawyers, including Alex Spiro, on Monday, seeking the dismissal of the amended complaint.
The motion, submitted to US District Judge Analisa Torres, also challenges the accuser’s request to remain anonymous.
In the filing, Jay-Z’s legal team called the lawsuit a “shakedown” and described the allegations as “meritless and frivolous.”
They also accused Buzbee of orchestrating a media campaign to harm Jay-Z’s reputation and influence public opinion.
Jay-Z’s lawyers stressed that anonymity would deny their client “the fundamental right to confront his accuser” and have asked for an expedited hearing to address the matter.
Amid the legal wrangling, Jay-Z made a public appearance with his family at the Los Angeles premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King.
The rapper was joined by his wife Beyoncé and their daughter Blue Ivy, who dazzled in matching golden outfits.
The trio posed for photos on the red carpet, seemingly unaffected by the lawsuit drama.
Recap of the Jay-Z lawsuit
The legal battle involving Jay-Z emerged after a civil lawsuit was filed under the New York Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, which allows victims of gender-based violence to pursue compensation from alleged perpetrators.
The plaintiff, identified only as Jane Doe, alleges that in September 2000, Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs sexually assaulted her at an MTV VMAs afterparty when she was 13 years old.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, accuses both men of heinous acts, with claims that they lured the teenager to the party, drugged her, and subjected her to sexual violence.
Tony Buzbee, the Texas attorney representing Jane Doe, has since filed multiple high-profile cases, including several lawsuits against Diddy involving similar allegations.
Jay-Z responded with a scathing public statement on Monday, 9 December 2024, denouncing the lawsuit as a “shakedown” orchestrated by Buzbee.
In the statement, Jay-Z referred to Buzbee’s actions as “deplorable theatrics” and vowed to expose the lawyer’s alleged pattern of exploiting legal processes for personal gain.
Buzbee defended his actions, stating his firm’s demand for mediation before the lawsuit was standard legal procedure.
He further accused Jay-Z’s team of conducting a coordinated effort to divert public attention from the allegations.
Key allegations in the case
- Location and Timing: Jane Doe alleges the assault occurred at a private residence following the VMAs on 7 September 2000.
- Actions of the Defendants: The plaintiff claims she was given a drink that made her feel disoriented, after which Jay-Z and Diddy took turns assaulting her while a female celebrity watched.
- Aftermath: Jane Doe purportedly escaped and sought help at a nearby filling station, contacting her father to pick her up.
The lawsuit was filed under the extended lookback window of the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, which allows courts to revisit older cases of gender-based violence.
The filing does not specify why the incident was not reported to law enforcement earlier.
Jane Doe seeks compensatory and punitive damages, along with attorney’s fees and asset seizure.
No specific monetary value has been attached to the claim, but federal guidelines require the amount sought to exceed $75,000.
