What has Nick Carter been accused of? A timeline of allegations against Backstreet Boys singer explored as fourth woman alleges assault

Nick Carter, a member of the globally successful pop group Backstreet Boys, has faced mounting allegations of sexual assault over the past several years. As of now, at least four women have come forward publicly with serious accusations spanning more than two decades.

Carter has denied all allegations and filed a countersuit against two of his accusers, framing the accusations as part of an alleged smear campaign.

Here’s a detailed timeline of the allegations and legal actions involving Nick Carter.

November 2017: Melissa Schuman's Allegation

In her narrative, she alleges that Nick Carter performed non-consensual oral s*x on her and forced her to do the same before violating her. Schuman also claimed that he messaged her later on, saying, “Why did you make me do that?”.

In response to the claims, Carter stated to PEOPLE,

"Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual."

In the case of Carter v. Schuman, Schuman opened a lawsuit for sexual assault and battery in April 2023. However, this was met with heavy backlash from Carter’s lawyer, who said this was a clear ‘public relations stunt’ whilst claiming that Schuman was altering the truth and trying to exploit Carter.

December 2022: Shannon Ruth's Lawsuit

In 2001, Shannon Ruth brought forth a civil case against Nick Carter, accusing him of s*xual violence towards her when she was 17 years old. Ruth claimed that, post a Backstreet Boys concert in Tacoma, Washington, Carter asked her to join him on his tour bus.

Upon boarding, he purportedly gave her what she believed to be an alcoholic drink, after which he proceeded to violate her in the bus's bathroom and a bedroom. She alleged that Carter insulted her and warned her nobody would support her claim. From the violent act, Ruth claimed she had been infected with HPV.

Carter's lawyer's statement read:

"This claim about an incident that supposedly took place more than 20 years ago is not only legally meritless but also entirely untrue."

August 2023: A.R.'s Allegation

A woman by the name of A.R. has launched a lawsuit accusing none other than Nick Carter of having had sexual intercourse with her when she was 15 years old. No less than six such occasions were reported by the woman.

She went further and said that at a point in Florida and on the bus that was his tour bus, Carter jumped on her, got her drunk, and had s*x with her. Besides, A.R. accused Carter of transmitting the human papillomavirus to her. In the last month of 2003, the girl and her mother reported the event to the policeman in Pennsylvania.

April 2025: Laura Penly's Lawsuit

According to the court papers filed in April 2025, Laura Penly said she was sexually assaulted by Nick Carter from December 2004 to February 2005 when she was 19. Penly claimed that she asked Carter to wear a condom, and he refused, and he assured her he was clear of all the diseases.

She said that she was the person who contracted HPV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, which led to her contracting cervical cancer that was already at stage 2 in August 2005. Penly is asking for more than $15,000 in damages and a jury trial.

The lawyers of Carter replied like this:

"This is just more of the same nonsense from the gang of conspirators and their lawyers who continue to abuse the justice system to try to ruin Nick Carter."

Carter's Legal Responses

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Nick Carter has rebutted all claims against him and, in turn, has filed defamation lawsuits against some of his accusers. In February 2023, he filed a countersuit against Schuman and Ruth, accusing them of being part of a scheme to defame and extort him. He asserts that their claims resulted in a business loss of $2.3 million in deals.

In August 2024, Nick Carter leveled a defamation lawsuit worth $2.5 million against Schuman, claiming her public assertions were untrue and aimed to tarnish his public image and career.

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