Melissa Schuman is suing the singer, who denies the allegations against him.
Nick Carter is denying allegations against him. After former Dream member Melissa Schuman sued Carter for sexual assault and battery for an alleged 2003 incident, Carter's attorney, Liane K. Wakayama, spoke out in a statement to ET.
"Melissa Schuman has been peddling this tale for many years," Wakayama's statement read, "but her allegation was false when she first made it back in 2017 -- and it still is."
In Schuman's suit, which was obtained by Rolling Stone, she claims that the former Backstreet Boy member used "his role, status, and power as a well-known singer to gain access to, groom, manipulate, exploit, and sexually assault" her.
Schuman first made her allegations in a 2017 blog post, claiming that Carter forced himself upon her at his Santa Monica apartment and took her virginity when she was 18.
The pair initially met through their respective teams and were cast to star in a film together. Schuman claimed in her blog post that she decided to continue working on the movie after the alleged assault out of fear that it would damage her career if she didn't.
In the wake of the alleged incident, Schuman claims in her suit that Carter continued to "manipulate and torment" her, additionally alleging that he repeatedly tried to contact her via phone. She additionally speculated that Carter could be the reason behind her stalled career.
"I've faced extraordinary backlash for standing up for myself; I am not the first, however my intention is that I am the last," Schuman told Rolling Stone in a statement. "It's time that powerful figures in the music industry get the message that they can no longer afford to enable and protect sexual predators. I'm fighting to make the music industry a safer place to work and perform."
"Melissa's case describes how powerful, celebrated individuals can weaponize their fan base to intimidate and harass the survivors of their crimes," her attorney, Jeff Anderson, added. "Finally, we have an opportunity now to prove that there are legal consequences to these crimes."
Schuman's suit isn't the only one Carter is currently facing. In December, Shannon Ruth sued Carter for an alleged incident that happened in 2001 when she was 17, claiming that the singer sexually assaulted her on his tour bus.
"This claim about an incident that supposedly took place more than 20 years ago is not only legally meritless but also entirely untrue," Michael Holtz, Carter's then-attorney, previously told ET in statement. "Unfortunately, for several years now, Ms. Ruth has been manipulated into making false allegations about Nick -- and those allegations have changed repeatedly and materially over time. No one should be fooled by a press stunt orchestrated by an opportunistic lawyer -- there is nothing to this claim whatsoever, which we have no doubt the courts will quickly realize."
In response to Ruth's complaint, Carter filed a February countersuit against her, as well as Schuman and Schuman's father, Jerome Schuman, for $2.3 million. In his suit, Carter claimed the individuals have been trying to extort money from him for years, and have caused Backstreet Boys to lose millions in potential revenue due to the allegations.
"Why should Nick Carter be believed with his long history of abusing females?" Ruth's attorney, Mark Boskovich, questioned in a statement to ET. "A jury will weigh the evidence and decide."
While Ruth asked the court to dismiss Carter's countersuit, it has been allowed to stand, the singer's lawyer told ET.
"A judge in Nevada recently ruled, after reviewing the extensive evidence we laid out, that there are strong grounds for Nick Carter to proceed with his lawsuit against Ms. Schuman for plotting to damage, defame and extort Nick, his associates, his friends and his family," the statement read, adding that, in light of the Nevada ruling, Schuman's suit is "at once both predictable and pathetic."
"This PR stunt won't shake Nick from his determination to hold Ms. Schuman and her co-conspirators to account for the immeasurable pain and suffering their extortionate conduct has caused," the statement concluded.
Meanwhile, Schuman's attorney, Jeff Anderson, told Rolling Stone, "Carter’s defamation lawsuit is a desperate last-ditch-effort to hold onto his fame and reputation. He knows he is running out of options. He is running out of lies. He knows his time of escaping accountability is imminent."
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