Nick Carter countersues Melissa Schuman for $2.5M, denies sexual assault allegations

Carter alleges Schuman's statements were defamatory and seeks $2.5M in damages for harm to his reputation.

Nick Carter, the well-known member of the Backstreet Boys, has filed a countersuit against singer Melissa Schuman, denying her accusations of sexual assault. 

The cross-complaint, filed in the Superior Court of California on July 26, seeks $2.5 million in damages. 

Carter alleges that Schuman made false and defamatory statements about him, including calling him a rapist in a blog post, on social media, in the "Fallen Idols" documentary, and at a recent press conference. 

Carter's countersuit claims that Schuman's actions were "intentional, malicious, oppressive and designed specifically to damage Carter’s contractual relationships and prospective economic opportunities." 

The lawsuit also highlights the emotional distress caused to Carter's family by Schuman's allegations.

Schuman's attorney, Karen Barth Menzies, responded by stating that Carter's defense strategy is to attack the victims rather than address the claims. 

The legal battle between Carter and Schuman follows Schuman's 2022 lawsuit accusing Carter of sexually assaulting her in 2003 when she was 18. 

Carter, 44, has also faced separate rape allegations from Shannon "Shay" Ruth, who accused him of assaulting her on a Backstreet Boys tour bus in 2001. 

Recent court rulings have been mixed for Carter, with a judge allowing Ruth's case to proceed while dismissing Carter's defamation lawsuit against another accuser, Ashley Repp.