A woman has reportedly sued Backstreet Boys band member Nick Carter for alleged sexual battery in a case dating back to 2001.
Shannon Ruth said she was 17 years old at the time of the alleged assault, and has accused Carter of spiking her drink with alcohol before forcing her to perform oral sex on him, according to TMZ. Court documents allege Ruth, who has autism and cerebral palsy, was in an autograph line after a Backstreet Boys concert in Tacoma, WA, when Carter ostensibly approached her and invited her onto the tour bus, the outlet continued.
Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter is being sued for sexual battery, after an alleged incident back with a minor back in 2001 … an incident our Carter sources say is totally false. https://t.co/viAcEnPogL
— TMZ (@TMZ) December 8, 2022
Ruth alleged that upon entering the bus, Carter asked if she wanted a drink, according to TMZ. She reportedly claimed she was given cranberry juice instead of the apple juice she requested, the outlet continued. Ruth ostensibly told Carter the drink tasted “off,” but he allegedly said it was “VIP juice,” and she ended up drinking it for fear of seeming rude, according to TMZ.
The documents claim Carter led Ruth to the bathroom, where he reportedly ordered her to perform oral sex on him, the outlet continued. She was allegedly crying during the ordeal, while Carter gave her instructions to continue, according to TMZ. (RELATED: Eric Weinberg, Former Producer Of Hit Show ‘Scrubs,’ Faces Numerous Sex Assault Allegations)
Ruth said Carter then led her to the bed and sexually assaulted her against her will, according to TMZ. She said she threatened to expose him by telling people what he had allegedly done to her, but he apparently threatened her right back, calling her names and telling her nobody would believe her, TMZ reported.
Ruth has said she was a virgin prior to the alleged assault, and that she contracted HPV after she was purportedly attacked, according to the outlet.
Sources close to Carter said the singer maintains his innocence and denies all allegations against him, according to the outlet. “This accusation is categorically false, Nick is focusing on his family and mourning the death of his brother,” the source reportedly said. Carter has since posted on social media, but did not address the allegations against him.
As we still mourn the loss of our brother, my sister and I turn our focus to what we can do to try to make a difference and raise awareness.https://t.co/h9M1VmHmMv pic.twitter.com/WKAFYL7ZHZ
— Nick Carter (@nickcarter) December 8, 2022
The story continues to develop.
