The legal battle between Jay-Z and Houston attorney Tony Buzbee intensified Wednesday as Buzbee filed a lawsuit accusing Roc Nation, its legal affiliates, and others of orchestrating a “conspiracy” to undermine him and his firm. The lawsuit alleges that Roc Nation employed “shadowy operatives” to persuade former Buzbee clients to file “frivolous” lawsuits against him in exchange for financial incentives.
This escalation stems from an earlier lawsuit Buzbee filed on behalf of a Jane Doe, accusing Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z of sexually assaulting her during a 2000 VMAs afterparty when she was 13 years old. Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, has denied the allegations and called the claims “heinous” and a “shakedown” by Buzbee.
The new lawsuit, filed in Texas, names former Buzbee client Gerardo Garcia as the plaintiff. Garcia claims two investigators, allegedly tied to Roc Nation and its affiliates, pressured him to join a class action against Buzbee’s firm, promising potential payouts. Buzbee contends this is part of a broader scheme financed by Roc Nation and orchestrated by Quinn Emanuel, Carter’s legal powerhouse, and attorney Marcy Croft, who has ties to Roc Nation’s philanthropic arm, Team Roc.
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Roc Nation dismissed the lawsuit as “another sham” and labeled it a “pathetic distraction.” Marcy Croft and Quinn Emanuel’s spokesperson also denied the allegations, with Croft accusing Buzbee of concocting “fantastical claims” to divert attention from his legal troubles.
The lawsuit follows a series of legal entanglements between Buzbee, Carter, and Combs. Carter’s legal team, led by Alex Spiro, has moved to preserve evidence in the Jane Doe case, accusing Buzbee of a “history of abusing the legal process.” Spiro argues that Doe’s claims are riddled with inconsistencies and that Buzbee’s actions amount to extortion.
Meanwhile, Combs, who is facing multiple lawsuits and criminal charges for sex trafficking and racketeering, has denied all allegations, calling them “false and demonstrably baseless.” His legal team asserts that Buzbee is exploiting the lawsuits for media attention rather than seeking justice.
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