Bob Dylan Fires Back Against Sexual Assault Allegations: ‘A Brazen Shakedown Masquerading As a Lawsuit’

Bob Dylan performing live. Photo Credit: Alberto Cabello

Five months ago, Bob Dylan was named in a shocking lawsuit for allegedly sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl “multiple times” in 1965. Now, the 80-year-old and his legal team have officially fired back against the complaint, describing it as “false, malicious, reckless and defamatory.”

Bob Dylan and his attorneys just recently submitted an answer to the amended complaint, which was filed in the New York Supreme Court. In brief, the action claimed that the “Hurricane” vocalist and songwriter, who purportedly maintained an apartment at New York City’s Chelsea Hotel at the time of the alleged sexual abuse, had “exploited his status as a musician” in order to “obtain control over” the plaintiff.

As part of the alleged grooming process, Bob Dylan was also said to have provided the 12-year-old victim “with alcohol and drugs,” proceeding to “sexually abuse her multiple times” – including at the aforementioned Chelsea Hotel apartment.

“This case—based on Plaintiff’s alleged interactions with Bob Dylan more than 56 years ago—is a brazen shakedown masquerading as a lawsuit,” reads the new filing from the 10-time Grammy winner (and 38-time nominee). “It was filed in bad faith for the improper purpose of extracting a huge payout on the threat of negative publicity.

“Mr. Dylan will not be extorted,” the no-holds-barred text proceeds. “Mr. Dylan will vigorously defend himself against these lawyer-driven lies and seek redress against all those responsible, including by seeking monetary sanctions against persons responsible for manufacturing and bringing this abusive lawsuit.”

Then, the eight-page-long response takes aim at the plaintiff’s personal life and professional background. This individual – whose name remains abbreviated as “J.C.” in the filing – “is a psychic who specializes in ‘channeling’ the deceased loved ones of grieving families—for a fee” and has purportedly made a number of seemingly odd public claims, according to Dylan’s counsel.

These claims, the concise document relays, include statements that “she has been abducted by aliens and piloted their spaceship,” “speaks to cats, dogs, and other animals – alive and dead – as well as insects and plants,” and “can divine signs from lipstick smudges, coffee grinds, tea leaf residue, crystals, playing cards, and palms.”

Next, Bob Dylan’s answer states that “investigation has revealed that her claim is based on a fantastical and fictitious story being exploited for financial gain,” calling the allegations “untrue, absurd and a chronological impossibility.

“When the full supposed ‘facts’ come to light, the world will learn just how ludicrous they are, and will see this bad faith lawsuit for what it is—a pernicious attempt to extort Mr. Dylan.”

The text also notes that a journalist had allegedly heard “a very different story” about the abuse allegations in 2017, ultimately opting not to report on the matter, and that “a single change” between the initial suit and the amended complaint had altered “the timeline from ‘April and May’ to ‘the spring of 1965.’

“Mr. Dylan may have seemed like an easy mark for the lawyers who filed and hoped to profit off of this fraudulent lawsuit,” the filing concludes. “They likely assumed he would not be up for the fight and would instead pay extortion to avoid the burden, publicity and expense of defending himself.

“They could not have been more wrong. Mr. Dylan seeks and will achieve justice, vindication and full accountability.”