Backstreet Boys‘ Nick Carter was sued on Thursday, December 8, by Shannon “Shay” Ruth, 39, who accused the singer of raping her back in 2001 when she was just 17 years old, during the boy band’s Black & Blue worldwide concert tour of 2001.

“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,” The victim, who is now 39 years old, alleged. “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.”

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Carter has denied the allegation. An unidentified source close to the singer told TMZ: “This accusation is categorically false, Nick is focusing on his family and mourning the death of his brother.”

This is not the first time the boy band member has been accused of sexual misconduct. He was accused of sexually assaulting Melissa Schuman, a former member of the teen-pop group Dream.

Also Read | Who is Shannon ‘Shay’ Ruth, autistic fan accusing Nick Carter of raping her at 17?

Who is Melissa Schuman?

Melissa Schuman’s Instagram bio says she is an actress, a double-platinum recording artist, and a wellness entrepreneur. 

In 2017, Schuman alleged that Carter sexually assaulted her in 2003 when she was 18 years old. His age at the time was 22. At the time they were shooting the 2004 made-for-TV movie The Hollow.

Schuman wrote in a blog post at the time which is no longer active that Carter invited her and a friend to his Santa Monica residence for a “casual hangout” where he allegedly poured shots. She then alleged that he took her to a bathroom where he performed oral sex on her despite her protests. 

Also Read | Nick Carter accused of raping 17-year-old autistic fan during 2001 Backstreet Boys tour

“He proceeded to perform oral sex on me. I told him to stop, but he didn’t. So I turned off the bathroom light so I wouldn’t see anything. He kept turning the light back on because he told me he wanted to look at me,” she said.

“I told him that I was a virgin and I didn’t want to have sex,” she added. “I told him that I was saving myself for my future husband. I said it over and over again. He whispered in my ear as to entice me, ‘I could be your husband.’”

Los Angeles County prosecutors declined to file a case against Schuman after investigating her claims because the allegations were outside the 10-year statute of limitations.

Carter, who was never criminally charged over the allegations, previously said in response, “Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual. We went on to record a song and perform together, and I was always respectful and supportive of Melissa both personally and professionally.”

 Schuman reacted to the news that the case had been dropped via a blog post she wrote on September 11, 2018. “It is unfortunate that the law isn’t fully retroactive to accommodate assaults that have happened in the past, regardless of how far back,” she said. “It gives me great solace to know that my testimony is fully documented, investigated and sealed for the future if needed by law enforcement.”