Shannon Ruth, a 39-year-old disabled woman, has accused Nick Carter of allegedly raping her when she was a minor on a tour bus in 2001. Carter who is members of Backstreet Boys has denied the bombshell claim.
Carter Accused of Calling Ruth a Retarded Bitch
Ruth, who is an autistic and suffers from cerebral palsy, made the accusations during a press conference held with her lawyers in a Facebook livestream on Thursday. Claiming that she was 17 years old at the time of alleged assault, Ruth said that nothing had affected her more or had a more lasting impact on her life than what Carter did and said to her.
The victim has also filed a lawsuit against the band member. According to a copy of the complaint obtained by Page Six, carter allegedly tempted Ruth into his tour bus after a concert in Tacoma, Washington. There he allegedly offered Ruth a red-colored drink, which she now believes was a mix of alcohol and cranberry juice. Claiming that she was a virgin at the time, the report states that Carter took the victim to a bed on the tour bus, where he allegedly continued to sexually assault her.
“The last 21 years have been filled with pain, confusion, frustration, shame and self-harm that are a direct result of Nick Carter raping me,” Ruth claimed during the press conference.
“Even though I’m autistic and live with cerebral palsy, I believe that nothing has affected me more or had a more lasting impact on my life than what Nick Carter did and said to me. After he raped me, I remember him calling me a ‘reâ-ed bitch’ and grabbing me and leaving bruises on my arm,” she went to disclose her ordeal.
Carter Denies Allegations
The alleged victim also went on to claim that she contracted HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, following the sexual encounter with Carter. “Just because Nick Carter is a celebrity does not mean that he is excused from his crimes,” the 39-year-old added. “I am a survivor and always will be.”
Meanwhile, in a statement issued to the outlet, the Backstreet Boys member’s attorney Michael Holtz said that 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 â and those allegations have changed repeatedly and materially over time. No one should be fooled by a press stunt orchestrated by an opportunistic lawyer â there is nothing to this claim whatsoever, which we have no doubt the courts will quickly realize,” the statement read as per the outlet.
