Judge Rules That Woman Claiming Jay-Z and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Raped Her at Age 13 Can Remain Anonymous

NEW YORK—An Alabama woman alleging she was raped by Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs at the age of 13 will be allowed to proceed anonymously in her lawsuit against the music icons, a judge ruled Thursday.

Judge Analisa Torres, in her written order, also criticized Jay-Z’s attorney for what she deemed combative motions and “inflammatory language” directed at the plaintiff’s lawyer, labeling them as inappropriate.

The judge ruled that while the woman can remain anonymous at this preliminary phase of the litigation, she may have to disclose her identity later in the proceedings to allow the defense counsel to gather necessary information for trial. Torres also noted the “substantial interest” of the public in the case.

Combs is currently incarcerated in New York, awaiting a criminal trial on federal sex trafficking charges. He is also facing multiple sexual assault lawsuits, many filed by the plaintiff’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer representing over 150 clients—both men and women—who claim to have been sexually abused and exploited by Combs.

The allegations indicate that many victims were assaulted at parties in locations including New York, California, and Florida after being given drug-laced drinks.

Combs’ legal team has dismissed Buzbee’s lawsuits as “shameless publicity stunts” aimed at extorting money from celebrities who fear falsehoods being disseminated about them, similar to the alleged lies about Mr. Combs. Jay-Z has stated that Buzbee is attempting to blackmail him in connection with the allegations made by the Alabama woman.

Buzbee stated in an email that his firm does not provide comments on court rulings.

In her lawsuit, the woman who claims she was raped at age 13 is identified as “Jane Doe.” She stated that she was living in Rochester in 2000 when she traveled to New York City and met a limousine driver who took her to an after-party for the MTV Music Awards, where she alleges she was assaulted by Jay-Z and Combs.

Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, requested the judge to dismiss the entertainer from the lawsuit and sought a hearing the day following his written motions submitted on Dec. 18.

Referring to an NBC-TV interview with the plaintiff, Spiro claimed the broadcast highlighted “glaring inconsistencies and outright impossibilities” in her account. For example, the woman stated she journeyed for five hours from Rochester to watch the music awards on a jumbotron outside the venue, even though permits and photographs indicate that no such jumbotron existed at the event.

Spiro also pointed out that the woman’s father has stated he doesn’t remember driving from Rochester to pick up his daughter in New York City, as she claims occurred.

The woman has acknowledged inconsistencies within her narrative.

In her order on Thursday, Torres noted that Spiro, having been involved in the case for less than three weeks, had submitted a “litany of letters and motions attempting to impugn the character of Plaintiff’s lawyer, many of which expounded on the purported ‘urgency’ of this case.”

Referring to Jay-Z by his legal surname, the judge remarked: “Carter’s lawyer’s unrelenting submission of combative motions with inflammatory language and personal attacks is inappropriate, a misuse of judicial resources, and a strategy unlikely to benefit his client. The Court will not expedite the judicial process merely because counsel requests it.”

A message was left seeking comment from Spiro on Thursday.