In documents obtained by TheWrap and filed on May 7 in Nevada, Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter said it was “factually impossible” for him to have sexually assaulted Shannon Ruth more than two decades ago based on testimony made by 9 different people, including his security and management team at the time. Carter also filed a motion for a hearing and requested a summary judgement on Ruth’s lawsuit.
Carter’s motion also names Melissa Schuman, a former singer with the band Dream, her father Jerome, the @ElaineMoo account on Twitter, and YouTuber Alexa Nikolas. Schuman sued Carter for sexual assault and battery in April 2023.
Ruth sued Carter for sexual battery in December 2022 “for sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress.” She claimed that she was assaulted by Carter on his tour bus following a Backstreet Boys concert in 2001 when she was 17-years-old. Ruth further claimed she was given an alcoholic drink and that Carter gave her HPV as a result of the assault.
“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. Carter has refused to meet any of their demands and remains steadfast in exposing these people for who they really are, con artists and criminal cohorts,” the filing read.
Elsewhere, the filing mentioned that Ruth testified her best friend at the time, Eleanor Brewer, would corroborate her account. “Eleanor, however, testified
that none of that was true and that she had never attended any medical appointment with Ruth. Importantly, the evidence confirms that Ruth tested negative for HPV based on her own medical records,” the filing read.
“Eleanor also testified that the first time she learned that Ruth was claiming she was raped was when Ruth reached out to her in 2020 wanting her to testify against Carter.”
In his filing, Carter disputed Ruth’s claim based in part on the band’s schedule of the day. Band management and the group’s security team at the time—a total of 9 individuals—confirmed the band did a “quick out” following the concert and were transported swiftly from the venue to their hotel. These details were also backed up by Susan Riggs, a friend of Carter’s, as well as an online review of the concert posted on the Backstreet Boys’ website at the time.
Tom Hudak, the tour manager for the group at the time, testified, “Ms. Ruth’s claims that Nick Carter remained at the venue and invited her onto his
tour bus is false. Once again, all of the band members, including Nick Carter,
immediately exited the venue after each show. Moreover, fans did not have access
to the tour bus staging area, which was guarded by several security guards at all
times, so it would have been impossible for her to get on his tour bus before the
buses left together.”
Carter has further claimed “Ruth was coached and groomed by Melissa and
Jerome Schuman [and] Ruth did not claim that Carter sexually assaulted her until the Schumans had their claws in her for ten months.”
The filing stated, “Carter is entitled to summary judgment in this case and should not be forced to proceed to trial in a matter where the plaintiff has failed to produce a shred of reliable evidence to support her claims.”
A summary judgement would result in a judge issuing a ruling without taking the case to trial by jury, and Ruth’s legal team will be required to share their evidence with Carter’s.
Carter was also sued for sexual assault in August 2023. In that filing, a claimant by the name of A.R. alleged that Carter assaulted her multiple times on a yacht and once on a tour bus.
Melissa Schuman previously came forward with her claim against Carter in 2o17 in a since-deleted blog post. She accused Carter of raping her in 2003 in his home in Santa Monica. She was 18 and a virgin at the time.
Carter strongly denied her allegation. He said, “I am shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman’s accusations. 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. This is the first that I am hearing about these accusations, nearly two decades later. It is contrary to my nature and everything I hold dear to intentionally cause someone discomfort or harm,” he concluded.
