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American singer Nick Carter has responded to the alleged r*pe allegations against him by a former fan named Shannon Shay Ruth.
In a statement obtained by Page Six, the 42-year-old star's attorney, Michael Holtz, stated that the alleged incident, which took place 20 years ago, is not only "legally meritless but also entirely untrue."
The statement mentioned:
“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.”
There have been several allegations against Nick Carter in the past and he has repeatedly denied them.
Trigger warning: The following content contains sensitive material. Viewer discretion is advised.
Nick Carter allegedly tempted Shannon Shay Ruth to visit his tour bus after a concert in Washington in 2001
On December 8, Shannon Shay Ruth held a press conference with her lawyers, where she accused Carter of allegedly assaulting her when was just 17 years old.
She said:
“The last 21 years have been filled with pain, confusion, frustration, shame, and self-harm that are a direct result of Nick Carter r*ping me.”
Not much information about her is available online. The now 39-year-old, who opened up about the incident that took place in 2001, stated that she has autism and is living with cerebral palsy. With tears in her eyes, Shannon said:
"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 r*ped me, I remember him calling me a re****ed b*tch and grabbing me and leaving bruises on my arm.”
Along with three other women, Shannon Shay Ruth filed a lawsuit on Thursday claiming that Carter assaulted them as well. As per several reports, Carter allegedly tempted Ruth to visit his tour bus after a concert in Washington.
There, Carter offered her a red-colored-drink, which he said was a "VIP juice," which she now believes consisted of cranberry juice and alcohol.
The Backstreet Boys member then ordered her to get on her knees and asked her to perform oral s*x even though she was crying. Shannon stated that he allegedly continued to assault her s*xually.
Moreover, she claimed that she contracted Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a common s*xually transmitted disease, after her alleged encounter with Nick.
She said:
“Just because Nick Carter is a celebrity does not mean that he is excused from his crimes. I am a survivor and always will be.”
Shannon Shay Ruth also revealed that Carter tried to "scare" her into silence and threatened to turn people against her and "wreck her life" because of his stardom and power.
