Nick Carter, a member of the iconic boy band, the Backstreet Boys, has taken legal action against two women who have accused him of sexual assault.
“
On February 2, Carter filed a countersuit against Shannon "Shay" Ruth and Melissa Schuman, who had previously sued him for sexual battery and rape, respectively.
“
Carter's attorney has claimed that the two women were trying to "harass, defame, and extort" his client, and were taking advantage of the #MeToo movement for their own purposes.
“
The countersuit accuses Ruth and Schuman of engaging in a five-year conspiracy to damage Carter's reputation for the purposes of gaining attention and fame or extorting money from him.
“
It also claims that their actions have caused Carter over $2.3 million in business losses and accuses them of being "opportunists" who were out to "destroy innocent lives."
“
In response, Ruth's attorney has claimed that a jury will weigh the evidence and make a decision, while Carter's attorney has stated that protecting one's reputation is not victim blaming or bullying, but simply telling the truth.
“
In 2017, Schuman accused Carter of raping her when she was 18 years old. However, Carter denied the allegations and claimed that the acts were consensual.
“
Schuman later forgave Carter and stated that she had come forward with her allegations to heal herself, not to hurt him or his family.
“
Ruth, on the other hand, alleged that Carter had assaulted her after a Backstreet Boys concert in 2001, when she was 17. Carter's attorney has denied these allegations and called them "legally meritless" and "entirely untrue."