Nick Carter accused of sexually assaulting woman: Lawsuit

Washington [US], April 15 (ANI): Singer Nick Carter has been accused of allegedly sexually assaulting a woman, who claims in a new lawsuit that she contracted STDs that led to cervical cancer.
In a lawsuit, Laura Penly alleged that the Backstreet Boys performer sexually assaulted her in approximately 2004 when she was around 19 years old. However, Carter denied the allegations in a statement released by his lawyers, reported People.
Penly alleged that their interactions with one another took place around December 2004 to February 2005 for a "sexually intimate relationship and they would see each other approximately every few weeks" when she visited Los Angeles.
She alleged that in early 2005, she'd gone to his apartment once again, but only with the hope of watching movies with the singer. The lawsuit alleged Carter "told her no because the only reason she was there was to have sex," reported People.

As per her lawsuit, the woman shared that she was instructed to keep the assault a secret since no one would believe her anyway. However, a few months later, Carter allegedly apologised and she went to see him again where she alleged she was sexually assaulted for a second time.
By August, she "was diagnosed with Stage 2 cervical cancer and had to undergo numerous treatments," which caused "severe emotional distress, physical anguish, medical issues, intimacy issues, and other complex trauma" for Penly, reported People.
"It takes profound courage and resilience for survivors of sexual assault to publicly come forward in pursuit of justice, particularly in the music industry that has long fostered a pervasive environment of sexual exploitation," Gianna N. Elliot, an attorney with Marsh Law Firm, which is representing Penly, said in a statement. "Carter used his power, status, and fame to sexually abuse and assault multiple young women and avoid any accountability. This lawsuit aims to change that pattern."
"We hope that Laura receives the justice she rightfully deserves and that this lawsuit serves as a catalyst, empowering other survivors to raise their voices and hold their abusers to account," Elliot continued.
However, Carter has denied Penly's accusations.
"This is just more of the same nonsense from the gang of conspirators and their lawyers who continue to abuse the justice system to try to ruin Nick Carter. It's drawn from the same predictable playbook - lie in wait for decades until Mr. Carter is celebrating a professional milestone, then hide behind litigation privilege to make utterly false claims in an attempt to inflict maximum damage on Nick and his family," his attorneys, Liane K. Wakayama and Dale Hayes, Jr, said in a statement, as per the outlet.
"Nick does not recall ever even meeting Laura Penly. He certainly never had any romantic or sexual relationship with her. Ever," they said, adding that they plan to "fight" the allegations.
Melissa Schuman, Ashley Repp and Shannon Ruth have also accused the singer of sexual assault, making Penly the fourth woman to come forward. Carter denied these allegations as well. Schuman's case will start in California in December, while Repp and Ruth's cases will be heard together in Nevada in March 2026, reported People. (ANI)