Fat Joe’s Attorney Calls Rape Lawsuit ‘Fraudulent Campaign’

Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Bronx rap icon Fat Joe is fighting back against what his legal team calls a "fraudulent campaign" to damage his legacy and extort him into silence — one now involving explosive accusations of sexual misconduct.

The latest salvo in a rapidly escalating legal battle dropped Thursday, when Terrance Dixon, Fat Joe's former hype man, and attorney Tyrone Blackburn filed a countersuit accusing the Grammy-nominated MC of sexual abuse, including the rape of underage girls — claims that Fat Joe and his legal team have vehemently denied.

These bombshell allegations come just weeks after Fat Joe, born Joseph Cartagena, filed a civil suit in April 2025 accusing Dixon and Blackburn of attempted extortion through threats, false claims, and media manipulation.

In a statement issued Friday, Cartagena's attorney Joe Tacopina described the new suit as a desperate retaliation. "The lawsuit filed by Tyrone Blackburn and Terrance Dixon is a blatant act of retaliation — a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the civil suit we filed first, which exposed their coordinated scheme to extort Mr. Cartagena through lies, threats, and manufactured allegations," Tacopina said.

Tacopina didn’t hold back in his assessment of Blackburn, painting him as a serial abuser of the legal system. "We didn't just sue a disgruntled former employee trying to revive a false claim from 15 years ago — we sued the lawyer behind it all. Tyrone Blackburn has a well-documented pattern of abusing the courts to harass defendants and generate media attention."

According to Tacopina, two federal judges have previously reprimanded Blackburn, including one who referred his conduct to the Southern District of New York’s disciplinary committee. Tacopina also claims law enforcement is now aware of what he calls an extortionate demand at the center of this case.

"The allegations against Mr. Cartagena are complete fabrications — lies intended to damage his reputation and force a settlement through public pressure," Tacopina said. "Mr. Cartagena will not be intimidated. We have taken legal action to expose this fraudulent campaign and hold everyone involved accountable."

Blackburn has not yet responded publicly to Tacopina’s latest statement, but in the countersuit filed Thursday, he and Dixon allege that Fat Joe failed to pay Dixon for years of work, created a toxic and abusive environment, and committed multiple acts of sexual abuse — including with minors — while Dixon worked as his hype man.

To date, no criminal charges have been filed against Cartagena, and the current legal actions remain in civil court.

Fat Joe, best known for hits like "Lean Back" and "What's Luv?", has not commented directly on the new allegations but has reportedly vowed to see the legal fight through to the end.