Jay-Z’s lawyer made a point to distance his client from Sean “Diddy” Combs in an interview with NBC News on Monday, saying there’s “no friendship” between the two after they were both accused in a lawsuit of raping a 13-year-old girl.
The rapper’s attorney, Alex Spiro, told NBC News in an on-camera interview that “there is no friendship or longtime bond here” and added that “just because they knew each other, know each other, that doesn’t mean anything.”
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, was accused in a civil lawsuit earlier this month of raping a 13-year-old girl at an afterparty for the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards in New York. The anonymous accuser, identified only as Jane Doe, alleged that both Carter and Combs took turns raping her while an unnamed female celebrity watched.
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Spiro added that Carter is “completely innocent” and that he expects him to be “cleared of this in the coming days,” reiterating that The Blueprint rapper has no current ties to Combs—who is currently facing numerous federal criminal charges including racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
“This case needs to be dismissed, and Mr. Carter’s name needs to be fully cleared,” Spiro continued.
On Dec. 13, the anonymous accuser told NBC News that there may have been inconsistencies in her story, including that her father picked her up after the alleged sexual assault—though he has no recollection of doing so. She also claimed to have spoken to a celebrity at the afterparty, but the celebrity subsequently claimed he was not in New York at the time.
In response to the accuser’s statements, Carter singled out the plaintiff’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, whom he has criticized in the past.
He told the Daily Beast in a statement: “Today’s investigative report proves this ‘attorney’ [Tony] Buzbee filed a false complaint against me in the pursuit of money and fame. This incident didn’t happen and yet he filed it in court and doubled down in the press. True Justice is coming. We fight FROM victory, not FOR victory. This was over before it began. This 1-800 lawyer doesn’t realize it yet, but, soon.”
Meanwhile, Buzbee told NBC News that after Doe was referred to his firm by another law firm, four people on his team interviewed her and “checked details.” A “seasoned investigator” was also brought on board to “vet some details she disclosed to us,” he said.
“Those results were consistent with what the client had told us,” Buzbee added. “Our conduct has been beyond reproach and will continue to be.”
