Nick Carter counter-sues rape accuser for $2.65M, lawyer says she wants to 'destroy his reputation'
CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA: Nick Carter is countersuing his disabled rape accuser claiming her false accusation has cost his band The Backstreet Boys $2.35 million and is seeking the same amount with his lawsuit, according to Rolling Stone. On December 2022, Shannon Ruth, 39, who has autism and cerebral palsy, filed the initial lawsuit. She alleged that Carter raped her in 2001 when she was only 17 on the band's bus after a show in Tacoma, Washington, during the group's Black & Blue tour.
In Ruth's lawsuit, Carter also faces allegations of sexual misconduct from three other women identified as Jane Does, including a 15-year-old. Carter has reportedly denied all the allegations claiming she has been coached by his former rape accuser Melissa Schuman and her father Jerome and it is all part of a years-long conspiracy plan. He further accused the trio of using the #MeToo movement and Carter’s late brother Aaron Carter to extort from him.
READ MORE
Who is Lisa Pekar? Actress alleges Harvey Weinstein forced her to strip down and perform oral sex
What really happened?
Carter's lawsuit comes two months after Ruth publically accused him of rape, announcing her lawsuit against the singer during a press conference. She explained the alleged incident saying Carter invited her onto his bus after seeing her wait for an autograph. Ruth claimed after entering the bus, Carter exposed himself to her and forced her to perform oral sex before raping her. She even accused him of spiking her drink. Ruth, then 17 reportedly threatened to tell people about the rape but Carter allegedly called her a "r******d little b***h that no one would believe."
"The last 21 years have been filled with pain, confusion, frustration, shame, and self-harm that are a direct result of Nick Carter raping me," Ruth said at the conference. "Even though I’m autistic and live with cerebral palsy, I believe that nothing has affected me more or had a more lasting impact on my life than what Nick Carter did and said to me," reported Daily Mail. However, in Thursday's countersuit, Carter denied Ruth’s allegations saying she “perpetuated a series of lies designed to harm Carter’s reputation and ability to earn a living.” The suit also accuses Schumans of manipulating Ruth into “making false allegations.
In 2017, singer Melissa accused Carter of raping her in his apartment after getting her drunk in 2002. Carter vehemently denied the allegations saying that the sex was consensual. Carter then accused Ruth and the Schumans of manipulating his late brother Aaron and using their feud to "legitimize" their claims. He claims the trio exploited "Aaron's fragile condition and family stresses to cloak their defamatory campaign with credibility, relentlessly and repeatedly using Aaron to try to legitimize their frivolous tales." Aaron was found dead in the bathtub of his home, last year, November at age 34. Carter claims when his brother died Jerome tweeted, "I am sad that the chess game we started together was never finished."
Carter's lawsuit stated Ruth's allegation cost The Backstreet Boys more than $2.35 million after they were canceled from many brand deals, endorsements, and appearances. Carter's lawyer added, "As our Counterclaim sets out in detail, Nick has been the target of a malicious and long-running conspiracy," said Michael Holtz. "He has never done the outrageous things of which he has been accused, in fact, he is the victim of a calculated and concerted disinformation campaign designed to destroy his reputation." Holtz said, "He looks forward to setting out the truth, vindicating himself in court, and putting an end to the smears and attempted shakedowns for good."