Nick Carter Sued for Sexual Battery

Nick Carter hasn’t been having the easiest time as of late. The Backstreet Boys member lost his brother, fellow artist Aaron Carter, on Nov. 5. The two had a complex relationship in their young adult and adult lives due to Aaron’s public struggles with substance abuse. They were reportedly estranged at the time of his death due to legal issues that occurred years prior, but per some reports, Aaron was making it his duty in recent years to right his wrongs with his family. “[Aaron] was on the path to making amends with so many people in his life, and he had made amends and made peace with Nick. Aaron was happy about this because he loved his brother. He looked up to Nick in so many ways. They were trying to make everything good again,” a rep noted, per Cinema Blend. While still grieving his brother’s death, he now has a sexual battery suit on his hands.

TMZ reports a woman named Shannon Ruth is the accuser and the incident reportedly took place in 2001 when she was 17 at the time. Ruth says she was invited by Nick on his tour bus after a Backstreet Boys concert in Tacoma, WA, while he spotted her waiting for an autograph. 

Per the court docus, Ruth, who has both autism and cerebral palsy, was asked if she wanted a drink. She asked for apple juice, and Aaron allegedly told her he had cranberry giving her a drink described as red in color. Ruth says the drink tasted off, and claims the singer said it was a “VIP drink.” She drank it not to be rude and now believes it was a mix of alcohol and cranberry juice.

She says Nick ordered her to perform oral sex on him on the bus. She says she did as she was instructed but was visibly uncomfortable and crying throughout the ordeal. Ruth says Nick continued to assault her on a bed on the tour bus. After it was over, she says she threatened to tell, and Nick yelled obscenities at her. She also says she was a virgin at the time, and contracted HPV as a result. Ruth now seeks damages.

Nick’s rep is denying the story, telling the media outlet: “This claim about an incident that supposedly took place more than 20 years ago is not only legally meritless but also entirely untrue. 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.”