While the matter is still being investigated, a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office says that 22-year-old Mario Valenzuela has been
charged with rape in the first degree. He is accused of following a woman into the 40/40 Club's unisex bathroom and forcing her to have sex with him. The incident is said to have happened around 12:45 a.m. on Wednesday, and the alleged perpetrator was arrested shortly after that on site.
Valenzuela is awaiting arraignment and the DA's spokesperson says that his court proceeding should probably happen at some point Thursday (December 11).
Investigators are still interviewing witnesses who were present at 40/40 the night of the alleged rape. Neither Jay-Z nor his rep for the club were available for comment.
The 40/40 Club officially opened on June 18 in grand fashion with celebrities from music and the sports world, including Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd, Beyoncé and Lil' Kim, coming out to support Jay (see "Beyonce, Magic Johnson, Others Turn Out For Jay-Z's 40/40 Opening"). Since its debut, the club has become a popular NYC nightspot with such heavyweights as Russell Simmons, the WWE and, of course, Jay-Z hosting parties there.