Jay-Z Accuser Admits to “Mistakes” in Story as Lawsuit Faces Scrutiny

A woman accusing Jay-Z and Diddy of raping her when she was 13 has admitted to inconsistencies in her story but stands firm on her overall claims. Speaking exclusively to NBC News, the accuser, identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, recounted the alleged assault while acknowledging errors in her account of the events from 24 years ago.

The woman alleges that Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, and Sean “Diddy” Combs sexually assaulted her at an after-party in 2000 following the MTV Video Music Awards. However, several details of her story conflict with verifiable facts.

Among the inconsistencies is her claim that her father picked her up after the alleged attack. Her father told NBC News he doesn’t recall such an event and noted the distance from their home in Rochester, New York, to Manhattan would have been a five-hour drive. He added that he would remember something so significant but does not.

The accuser also claimed to have spoken with musician Benji Madden at the party, but Madden’s representative confirmed neither he nor his brother Joel attended the 2000 VMAs, as they were on tour in the Midwest at the time. Additionally, photographs place Jay-Z and Diddy at the Lotus nightclub in New York City for an after-party that evening, a location that does not match the accuser’s description of a large white house with a gated driveway.

When pressed about the discrepancies, Jane Doe admitted to NBC News, “I have made some mistakes,” but insisted the inconsistencies do not undermine her allegations.

Jay-Z has vehemently denied the allegations, calling the claims “idiotic” and “heinous in nature.” His attorney, Alex Spiro, criticized the lawsuit, stating, “It is stunning that a lawyer would file such a serious complaint without proper vetting.” Diddy’s legal team echoed these sentiments, calling the lawsuit a “shameful money grab.”

The accuser’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, defended his client, stating her story was vetted before filing the suit. He also revealed that she is willing to take a polygraph test to verify her claims.

“Jane Doe’s case was referred to our firm by another, who vetted it prior to sending it to us,” Buzbee said. “She remains fiercely adamant that what she has stated is true, to the best of her memory. Because we interrogated her intensely, she has even agreed to submit to a polygraph. I’ve never had a client suggest that before.”

The accuser shared with NBC News that she was 13 at the time of the alleged assault, living in Rochester, New York, and snuck out of her home to attend the VMAs, an event she said was on her “bucket list.” She described chatting with limo drivers outside Radio City Music Hall, one of whom claimed to work for Diddy and offered to take her to an after-party.

She claims the party took place in a large white house, where she was served a drink that made her feel woozy before being assaulted. However, NBC News was unable to corroborate details about the venue or how she traveled to New York that night.

Her attorney, Buzbee, emphasized that memories from decades ago can be imperfect but believes her core story holds weight. “Our client has been very specific and detailed about the description of the venue,” he said, adding they are still working to verify additional details.

The lawsuit, originally filed in October in the Southern District of New York against Diddy, was recently amended to include Jay-Z as a defendant.

NBC News was the first to break this story.