A 4th Woman Accused Backstreet Boy Nick Carter of Sexual Misconduct

Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys helped define the ‘90s music scene with his boyish charm, noticeable blond locks, and idol charisma. He and the rest of his boy bandmates have continued to be well-known pop icons over the years.

However, recently, the singer has found himself facing serious allegations of sexual misconduct. A fourth woman has now come forward with accusations against Carter, intensifying the public scrutiny he’s been under since the first allegations emerged.  

As reported by People, accuse, Laura Penly’s lawsuit alleges that Carter sexually assaulted her around 2004 when she was 19 years old. She alleged that the interactions between the two of them happened around December 2004 to February 2005 and that they had a “sexually intimate relationship and [they] would see each other approximately every few weeks” whenever she was in Los Angeles. 

Penly said that the first three times, the sex was consensual. However, when they met again at his Hollywood apartment, Carter refused to wear a condom, which led her to think he was clean of any STDs.

In another instance, when she visited the singer to just hang out and watch movies, the lawsuit alleges that Carter “told her no because the only reason she was there was to have sex.” Despite her saying “no” multiple times, Carter still allegedly forced himself on her and threatened her to keep quiet about the assault, telling her no one would believe her anyway.

However, Penly claims that Carter called her and apologized after a few months. She went to see him, where she was allegedly assaulted for a second time. 

Following a doctor’s visit in around July 2005, Penly allegedly tested positive for chlamydia and gonorrhea, and by August, was diagnosed with stage 2 cervical cancer. Penly claims that she did not have any unprotected sex with anyone aside Carter. 

Penly is the fourth woman to step forward and accuse Nick Carter of sexual assault. Per FOX News, Melissa Schuman, also a singer, filed a lawsuit in 2023 accusing the Backstreet Boy of sexual battery and assault. Schuman alleges that Carter raped her in 2003, when she was 18 years old and he was 22. 

Shannon “Shay” Ruth and Ashley Repp also sued the singer, with Ruth alleging Carter raped her when she was 17. Carter denied the allegations and filed a countersuit saying that Ruth and the other accusers used the #MeToo movement to “defame and vilify” him. A judge dismissed his defamation suit in August 2024. 

Carter also denied Penly’s accusations and claimed to “not recall ever even meeting Laura Penly.”