‘Built on Lies’: Jay-Z Asks Court to Reopen Extortion Lawsuit Against Attorney Tony Buzbee After Accuser Fully Recants

LOS ANGELES — Hip-hop mogul and Roc Nation founder Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter has petitioned a California appellate court to reboot his high-profile extortion and defamation lawsuit against prominent Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, following an "explosive" full retraction from his original accuser.

Attorneys for Carter filed a formal petition with the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, urging the court to reconsider its 10th September ruling that dismissed the star's claims under California’s anti-SLAPP statute.

The sudden legal turn arrives after the former "Jane Doe", who previously accused Carter and Sean "Diddy" Combs of a 2000 sexual assault when she was 13, signed a sworn declaration completely exonerating the rap icon, confirming under oath that she has never met Carter and that "no truth" exists in any of her prior claims.

A Complete Retraction and Unconditional Apology

The underlying civil litigation originally made international headlines before being voluntarily dismissed by the accuser in February 2025. Carter subsequently launched a countersuit against Buzbee and his firm, alleging extortion, defamation, and malicious prosecution aimed at orchestrating a multi-million-dollar corporate "shakedown".

While a California appellate panel upheld the lower court's dismissal of Carter's suit earlier this month on the grounds that Buzbee had not knowingly made false statements, the accuser's new sworn statement has upended the legal battle.

In a newly disclosed declaration submitted alongside Carter's petition, the accuser's new counsel, James Blair Newman Jr., stated that his client was "entirely mistaken" and issued an unconditional apology.

"Mr. Carter did not rape her, sexually assault her, engage in any inappropriate conduct towards her, and she has never met him," Newman confirmed. "She sincerely and unconditionally apologizes to Mr. Carter and his family".

The accuser further clarified in court documents that she received no financial payment or compensation from Carter or his representatives in exchange for providing her recantation.

Extortion Claims and the Battle Over Motive

In his petition to the Second District Court of Appeal, Carter's legal team, led by Quinn Emanuel, argues that the accuser's retraction provides clear proof that Buzbee's initial complaint was "built on lies" and designed to force a massive financial settlement.

During previous court filings, Carter claimed his businesses suffered over $20 million (£15 million) in direct financial damage and lost commercial partnerships as a result of the publicized allegations.

However, Buzbee and his defense team, represented by partners Camille Vasquez and Samuel Moniz of Sheppard Mullin, have vehemently rejected the petition and pushed back against their former client's recantation.

Buzbee's representatives branded the sudden reversal as "bought-and-paid-for" and characterized the accuser as an "unreliable witness," maintaining that their firm conducted appropriate preliminary vetting before initiating the original filing.

Appellate Reconsideration Pending

The Second District Court of Appeal will now evaluate whether the accuser's sworn recantation constitutes sufficient grounds to grant a rehearing and revive Carter's extortion and defamation claims for trial.

A formal ruling on the petition for reconsideration is expected in the coming weeks as both legal teams prepare further submissions.