Nick Carter is slamming the "outrageous" sexual assault allegations he is currently facing in court.
The Backstreet Boys star is speaking out against the claims being made about him in ID's recent docu-series, Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter. The program interviews three women - Melissa Schuman, Shannon Ruth and Ashley Repp - who each come forward with accounts of misconduct from the early 2000s.
Following the premiere of the documentary, Carter's attorneys, Liane Wakayama and Dale Hayes Jr., have released a statement that condemns the accusations, calling the three women a "gang of conspirators."
"These are exactly the same outrageous claims that led us to sue this gang of conspirators," the statement to the LA Times read. "Those cases are working their way through the legal system now, and, based on both the initial court rulings and the overwhelming evidence, we have every belief that we will prevail and hold them accountable for spreading these falsehoods."
Nick Carter was offered to be interviewed for the series, which he rejected. It comes from the same network behind the recently-viral Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV event, which uncovered years of behind-the-scenes abuse at Nickelodeon.
The series also explores the divide between brothers Nick and Aaron Carter. Aaron, who passed away at 34 in 2022, openly supported the women who accused Nick of sexual assault. The late actor also dealt with severe mental health issues.
The final episode delved into the allegations made by Shannon Ruth, who claims that Carter infected her with HPV when she was just 17-years-old. She characterizes the incident as rape, taking place in Februiary 2001 after a then 21-year-old Carter performed a Backstreet Boys concert in Tacoma, Wash. She filed a sexual battery lawsuit, which Carter's attorneys label as "entirely untrue" and "legally meritless."
Carter believes that the three women are conspiring to extort him. In February 2023, he countersued Ruth, also naming Schuman as a defendant in his defamation countersuit. Earlier this year, Carter posted a Google Drive link to his court motion, telling his supporters to "respect and trust the process."
"Every single allegation of sexual assault against him has been orchestrated by Melissa Schuman, Jerry Schuman, Ashley Repp, and Ruth as part of their plan to garner fame and extort Carter out of money," the motion reads. "Carter has refused to meet any of their demands and remains steadfast in exposing these people for who they truly are, con-artists and criminal cohorts."
Specifically calling out Ruth, the motion says that she was "desperate for her two minutes of fame" while trying to get him "canceled."
"Ruth's goal was simple - gain as much attention as possible in hopes that Carter would be canceled. For a brief moment it worked," the legal filing read. "ABC canceled the Backstreet Boys' Christmas special, A Very Backstreet Holiday, and Carter was left fighting for his innocence and his family."
Following the recent court filings, his supporters began to trend #IStandWithNickCarter on social media, showing a wave of support for the controversial boy band member.
© 2024 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
