Jay-Z's Lawyer Marcy Croft Hits Back with $25M Lawsuit Alleging Tony Buzbee of Conspiracy to Destroy Her Career

A lawyer, who has been closely associated with Jay-Z's criminal justice reform initiatives, has embarked on a major fight, alleging that a well-known Texas lawyer was behind a move that sought to undermine her reputation.

Marcy Croft has filed a defamation suit worth $25 million against Houston trial lawyer Tony Buzbee, per HotNewHipHop. Accusing him and other people of spreading false reports that she is a criminal in a plot to damage her reputation and career.

According to a report by AllHipHop, in this defamation suit, Croft accuses Buzbee of using his various social and professional platforms to amplify baseless charges she alleges are entirely false.

Croft is also known for ROC Nation's criminal justice reform, and has partnered publicly with Team ROC, the philanthropic division of Jay-Z's company, on various initiatives, including prison reform. It was precisely this public presence, according to the complaint, which put Croft under attack on reputation issues.

According to the lawsuit, the case began in December 2024 when "a former client of Buzbee, who is known as Jose Maldonado, contacted Croft seeking a free case evaluation about her concerns regarding the handling of client funds by the Buzbee Law Firm. Croft asserts that she received very limited information, determined she did not have any claims, and ended her communication with Maldonado."

Maldonado is then claimed to have joined forces with Buzbee, leading to what Croft claims is "a concerted attack" against her.

The complaint alleged that Buzbee and his associates posted allegations of major felonies against Croft on Instagram and Facebook accounts that, together, had a support base of over 100,000 followers, claiming Croft was illegally soliciting clients, bribery, intimidation, and obstruction of justice. The complaint also alleges that the same allegations were made in a series of letters dispatched to ex-clients on letterheads of the Buzbee Law Firm.

In detailing what the allegations entail, it is discussed within the lawsuit that "Croft has been accused of employing 'agents' to instigate lawsuits, a claim she contests. The allegations were deemed to be 'false and misleading' and 'meant as a diversion from questions surrounding Buzbee's 'legal and financial entanglements.'"

There are six causes of action in the suit: defamation, defamation per se, false light invasion of privacy, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and civil conspiracy. Croft is seeking at least $25 million in compensatory damages, as well as punitive damages, as she has been damaged in reputation, suffered emotional distress, and loss of professional standing.

Buzbee has not yet filed a response, however, at the court level. This suit continues a series of legal wranglings involving claims against Jay-Z that were later dropped, although Buzbee/Croft is not involved in either of those legal scuffles.