A Las Vegas judge ruled on Wednesday, August 30, that Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter, 43, can proceed with his countersuit against Dream singer Melissa Schuman, 39.
Schuman had previously sued Carter, accusing him of sexually assaulting her in 2002 when he was 22 and she was 18. Carter’s legal team argues that Schuman and her father, Jerome, have been trying to fabricate false claims against him for financial gain.
Schuman’s allegations first came to light in 2017 when she filed a report with the Santa Monica Police Department. However, prosecutors chose not to pursue the case. Earlier this year, Schuman reintroduced her claims, benefiting from a new California bill that eliminates the statute of limitations for certain civil actions.
Carter has consistently denied these accusations. His attorney, Liane K. Wakayama, said that Schuman’s allegations have always been without merit, a position supported by the Nevada ruling. The judge determined that enough evidence was presented to allow Carter to proceed with a lawsuit against Schuman, citing her involvement in a scheme to defame, harm, and extort him and his associates.
In related news, two other women have named Carter in lawsuits, accusing him of separate sexual assaults. Most recently, an unidentified woman alleged that Carter assaulted her in 2003 when she was 15. Carter’s lawyer, Dale Hayes Jr., said these accusations were previously reported and lacked the necessary evidence to charge Carter.
Additionally, Carter has lodged a $2.3 million suit against Shannon Ruth, another accuser, suggesting that Schuman played a role in influencing Ruth to conspire against him. Ruth, who is autistic with cerebral palsy, alleges Carter assaulted her in 2001. Carter refutes this, noting that 12 witnesses can vouch for the implausibility of her claims.
