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A new Investigation Discovery docuseries has delved into the multiple sexual assault allegations against Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter.
Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter features on-camera interviews with three women who have so far accused the boy band member, 44, of sexual misconduct: Melissa Schuman, Ashley Repp and Shay Ruth.
Carter denies all allegations against him, claiming his sexual assault accusers were “orchestrated” to extort him and were told by his attorney Dale Hayes Jr. People that the claims are “scandalous.”
The star’s countersuit against his accusers for defamation is still pending in court, and his lawyer added in a statement: “Such cases are working their way through the legal system now and, based on both the initial court rulings and the evidence overwhelming, we can We fully believe that we will prevail and hold them accountable for spreading these falsehoods.’
But who is Melissa Schuman and what exactly has she accused Nick Carter of? Continue reading to learn everything she needs to know.
Melissa Schuman, 39, is an American singer and actress best known for being a member of the girl group Dream.
Who is Melissa Schuman?
Melissa Schuman, 39, is an American singer and actress best known for being a member of the girl group Dream.
The band originally formed in October 1998 and their debut single, He Loves U Not, became a platinum hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the UK Singles Chart.
Aside from a few mini-reunions over the years, the American girl group has disbanded and is no longer releasing new music.
Schuman is also known for her brief acting career, which included appearing in the films Love Don’t Cost A Thing and Silent Scream.
She recorded a song with Nick Carter in 2004 called There For Me, after they both appeared in the film The Hollow.
The singer is now married to choreographer Brandon Henschel, after the couple tied the knot in 2006; They have a son together named Elijah, who is 13 years old.
Melissa Schuman (pictured) claims Nick Carter raped her in his Santa Monica apartment in 2003.
Dream originally formed in October 1998 and their debut single, He Loves U Not, became a platinum hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the UK Singles Chart.
Carter and Schuman were cast members of the 2004 film The Hollow.
What has Melissa Schuman accused Nick Carter of?
Melissa Schuman claims Nick Carter raped her in his Santa Monica apartment in 2003.
She first came forward with the claims in a blog post published in 2017 and alleged that at the time she was just 18 years old and a virgin.
Carter previously denied her accusation and insisted their sexual encounter was consensual.
At the time, he said in a statement: “I am shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman’s allegations.”
‘Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was non-consensual. Then we recorded a song and performed together, and I was always respectful and supportive of Melissa both personally and professionally.
‘This is the first time I have heard about these accusations, almost two decades later. It is contrary to my nature and everything I hold dear to intentionally cause discomfort or harm to anyone.’
Schuman was initially unable to sue due to a 10-year statute of limitations, but the law changed in California in 2023, changing the statute of limitations window for a sexual assault. He then filed the lawsuit in January 2023.
Carter previously denied Schumer’s accusation and insisted their sexual encounter was consensual.
Carter denies all allegations against him, claiming that his sexual assault accusers were “orchestrated” to extort him, and his attorney Dale Hayes Jr. told People that the allegations are “outrageous.”
Schuman accused Carter of forcing her to perform and receive oral sex at a time when he was 22 and she was 18. She said her first sexual experience was with Carter, despite insisting that he did not want to have sex until she was married. .
At the time, Carter’s lawyer, Liane K. Wakayama, told DailyMail.com in a statement: “For years, Melissa and Jerome Schuman have been conspiring with anyone they could manipulate to bring false accusations against Nick Carter in a brazen attempt to get rich from it.’
In the new docuseries, Schuman addresses the ‘hell on earth’ he faced after making the allegations, including hate messages from Backstreet Boys fans who questioned his credibility.
Carter has denied all accusations made by Schuman.
What other accusations are there against Nick Carter?
Nick Carter has been accused of sexual assault by two other women in separate lawsuits.
The Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) artist has denied all allegations leveled against him in the separate lawsuits.
Shannon ‘Shay’ Ruth alleged that Nick Carter raped her on a tour bus in 2001 when she was underage and 17 years old. She filed a lawsuit against Carter for sexual assault in December 2022.
Ruth claims the star dropped his pants and exposed himself to her in a bathroom, before allegedly forcing her to perform oral sex on him and then raping her.
She detailed the “pain, confusion, frustration, embarrassment and self-harm” caused by the alleged incident and claimed that Carter “threatened and tried to silence her” immediately afterward.
Carter denied the allegations in a December 2022 statement, which began: “This claim regarding an incident that allegedly took place more than 20 years ago is not only legally baseless but completely false.”
“Unfortunately, for several years now, Ms. Ruth has been manipulated into making false accusations about Nick, and those accusations have repeatedly and materially changed over time,” the statement continued.
“No one should be fooled by a press stunt orchestrated by an opportunistic lawyer; there is nothing to this claim, which we have no doubt the courts will quickly realize,” the statement concludes.
In the new docuseries, Schuman addresses the ‘hell on earth’ he faced after making the allegations, including hate messages from Backstreet Boys fans who questioned his credibility.
Schuman is interviewed on camera in the new docuseries
Multiple Sexual Assault Allegations Deepened in New Investigation Discovery Docuseries
A Las Vegas judge ruled in March 2023 that Carter could file a countersuit against Ruth after he alleged she falsely accused him of attempted extortion.
A third woman, Ashley Repp, also accused Nick of sexual misconduct and filed a lawsuit in August 2023. The incident allegedly took place in Florida in 2003.
Last year, following the most recent allegation from Repp, who at the time was referred to only by his initials, Carter’s lawyer, Dale Hayes Jr., told DailyMail.com that Nick denies his claims, while describing all three lawsuits as “malicious schemes.”
In February 2024, Carter named Schuman in the $2.3 million lawsuit against Shannon Ruth, TMZ reported.
In the lawsuit filed by Carter, the boy band alumnus said Schuman coached Ruth in an extortion attempt that he claims has cost him millions in lost wages.
How did Nick Carter respond to the accusations?
Nick Carter denies all allegations and claims all of his sexual assault accusers were “orchestrated” to extort him.
The 44-year-old singer filed a motion for summary judgment against Shannon Ruth earlier this month, via US Weekly
‘Ruth’s goal was simple: get as much attention as possible in the hope that Carter would be cancelled. For a brief moment it worked,” the document reads.
“ABC canceled the Backstreet Boys’ Christmas special, A Very Backstreet Holiday, and Carter was left fighting for his innocence and his family,” the document adds.
“Now, more than a year later, Carter has obtained all the evidence necessary to prove that he has been telling the truth all along: he did not rape Ruth or anyone else,” the document continues.
The filing adds that others who have accused him, such as Melissa Schuman and a plaintiff known as AR, have “orchestrated” his claims.
The singer alleges it’s all a “scheme to gain fame and extort money from Carter,” adding that Ruth fabricated her testimony, claiming it was a “factual impossibility.”
Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter will air on Investigation Discovery on May 27 and 28. The episodes will also air on Max.