Former Dream member Melissa Schuman is filing a lawsuit against the now-43-year-old Nick Carter, alleging that he sexually assaulted her in 2003, when she was 18 years old.
In a lawsuit that was submitted to a court in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Schuman formalized the charge that she has been making for a long time, saying that Carter sexually abused her in 2003, when she was 18 years old when the two were filming in the teen horror film The Hollow.
Melissa Schuman’s lawsuit
In 2017, Schuman accused Carter of sexually assaulting her in Santa Monica in 2002, when she was 18 years old and he was 22. The incident allegedly took place during that time period. Her complaint said that the musician, who is 43 years old, subjected her to o**l sex against her will and then forced her to engage in the act herself. The singer, who is now 38 years old and was a member of the girl group Dream, wished for Carter to be prosecuted for the alleged crime he committed.
Schuman said that he had taken her virginity after assaulting her, despite the fact that she had informed him that she was planning to wait until she was married before having sexual relations. The district attorney’s office decided not to prosecute and pursue charges against Carter despite the fact that the singer filed a police complaint against Carter. This was due to the fact that the statute of limitations for the claimed event had passed in 2013. Now, Schuman hopes that her claim may be reinstated because of a new measure that amends the statute of limitations for civil claims.
As a consequence of this, the actress has decided to re-litigate the dispute in the legal system in the expectation of achieving a positive outcome this time around. Carter has responded to the claims by denying them and filing a lawsuit against Schuman earlier this year for $2.3 million. According to his complaint, Schuman has been attempting to blackmail him for money for a number of years. Liane K. Wakayama, the attorney for Carter, sent a statement to TMZ in which she claimed that Schuman had been conspiring against his client in order to harm him and smear his reputation.
In a statement, Schuman asserted that she has faced tremendous backlash for standing up for herself and hopes to be the last to do so, even though she is not the first. She wants the music industry’s powerful figures to understand that they can no longer enable or protect sexual predators, and is fighting to create a safer workplace and performance environment.
Jeff Anderson, Schuman’s attorney, stated that Melissa’s case shows how influential and celebrated individuals can employ their fan base to intimidate and harass the survivors of their crimes. He believes that now is an opportunity to demonstrate that there are legal repercussions for these offenses.
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In 2017, Carter released a statement denying the allegations and declaring that Schuman had never conveyed to him, either during their relationship or since, that their actions were non-consensual. He insisted that intentionally causing someone discomfort or harm went against his nature and values.
Carter’s attorney claimed that Melissa Schuman had been peddling her tale for many years, but her allegation was false when she first made it back in 2017 and still was. Wakayama accused Schuman of plotting to damage, defame, and extort Nick, his associates, his friends, and his family. She added that the PR stunt would not shake Nick’s determination to hold Ms. Schuman and her co-conspirators accountable for the immeasurable pain and suffering their extortionate conduct has caused.
“Melissa Schuman has been peddling this tale for many years, but her allegation was false when she first made it back in 2017 and it still is. A judge in Nevada recently ruled, after reviewing the extensive evidence we laid out, that there are strong grounds for Nick Carter to proceed with his lawsuit against Ms. Schuman for plotting to damage, defame and extort Nick, his associates, his friends, and his family. In light of our progress in Nevada, this kind of response is at once both predictable and pathetic. But this PR stunt won’t shake Nick from his determination to hold Ms. Schuman and her co-conspirators to account for the immeasurable pain and suffering their extortionate conduct has caused.”
How They Met?? The Back Story.
The two apparently met via their respective teams, who proposed a fake relationship between them to generate positive press coverage. They ended up sharing a co-starring role in the teen horror film The Hollow, which aired on television.
Schuman alleges that she was forced to consider whether or not to shut down production if she reported Carter for the attack after the incident.
Another Case Against Carter
In December, Shannon Ruth also sued Carter for sexual battery in Nevada. After a performance in Tacoma, Washington in February 2001, Carter welcomed Ruth onboard his tour van, claiming she was 17.
Ruth alleged Carter raped, had o**l sex with, and infected her on a bus trip. Ruth, who is autistic and has cerebral palsy, said Carter called her a “retarded bitch” after the attack.
ABC canceled a pre-taped Backstreet Boys Christmas program after Ruth’s complaint.
Carter’s attorney at the time, Michael Holtz, angrily refuted the charges and filed a countersuit against Ruth in February for $2.35 million, the same amount Carter’s team claims he and the Backstreet Boys lost owing to Ruth’s accusations.
Carter claims Ruth was “manipulated into making false allegations” by Schuman and her father, Jerome. Carter’s claim against Ruth was upheld last month by a court. Carter’s counterclaim includes Schuman and her father, Jerome.
