When it comes to the world of boy bands, the Backstreet Boys have held an almost untouchable place. And now, one of the group’s most prominent , Nick Carter, stands at the center of a scandal.

The allegations are as serious as they come: sexual assault, the alleged transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, and, perhaps most hauntingly, the claim that these diseases contributed to a life-altering cervical cancer diagnosis for his acc.

Laura Penly, the acc at the heart of this lawsuit, has alleged that Carter sexually assaulted her multiple times between late 2004 and early 2005, during what began as a consensual relationship. She claims, however, that the relationship quickly took a dark turn. According to Penly, Carter not only disregarded her requests for protection during their encounters but also used his fame and power to manipulate and silence her when things escalated beyond her consent. 

What makes this case particularly disturbing is the alleged aftermath. Penly claims that Carter infected her with multiple STDs, including human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus linked to cervical cancer. By mid-2005, she says she was diagnosed with Stage 2 cervical cancer, a point from which her life took an irreversible turn. The lawsuit paints a picture of not only physical suffering but also severe emotional trauma, as Penly alleges Carter coerced her into silence with the chilling assertion that “no one would believe her anyway.”

While Penly’s accusations are specific and graphic, they are not isolated. She is the fourth woman to come forward alleging sexual misconduct by Carter. On the other side of this legal battle, Carter’s defense team has come out swinging, categorically denying the allegations and framing them as part of a coordinated effort to tarnish his reputation. In their statement, his lawyers dismissed Penly’s claims as “nonsense” and accused her legal team of exploiting the justice system to inflict maximum damage. Carter has gone as far as to claim that he doesn’t even recall meeting Penly.

But this isn’t the first time Carter has faced such accusations. Melissa Schuman, a former member of the girl group Dream, accused him of sexual assault in 2017, claiming he forced himself on her when she was 18. Shannon Ruth, another acc, alleged that Carter assaulted her when she was 17, following a Backstreet Boys concert. These cases, alongside Penly’s lawsuit, form a troubling pattern—one that Carter’s legal team is working hard to dismiss as coincidental or conspiratorial.

Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault allegations.

Nick Carter, once a poster child for 90s pop idolatry with the Backstreet Boys, has recently been more prominent in the headlines for serious allegations of sexual assault.

Nick Carter rose to fame in the mid-1990s as a vocalist in the Backstreet Boys. The group, formed in 1993, became one of the most successful boy bands of all time, selling over 100 million records worldwide and delivering hit singles like I Want It That Way, Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), and As Long as You Love Me. Nick continues to navigate his career and remains very much alive, despite the mix-ups some may have had with his late brother, Aaron Carter.

The younger singer tragically ed away on Nov. 5, 2022. He was found deceased in his home in Lancaster, California. Aaron was 34 years old at the time of his death and his struggles with mental health issues and substance abuse were well-documented, which he openly discussed in public forums and interviews.

Now both the brothers are back in the spotlight with the release of the mini-docies, Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter. This series, released on May 27, 2024, delves into the complexities of Aaron and his brother’s lives, focusing particularly on the three sexual assault lawsuits filed against Nick. However, his legal team has been forceful in their defense, dismissing the allegations as “outrageous.”

What are the allegations against Nick Carter?

In December 2022, Shannon “Shay” Ruth, a woman with autism and cerebral palsy, filed a civil lawsuit against Nick, accusing him of raping her on a tour bus after a concert in Tacoma, Washington, in 2001, when she was 17 years old.

According to the lawsuit, Nick invited Ruth to him on the tour bus after a concert, where he allegedly gave her a “funny-tasting beverage” he called “VIP juice.” Ruth claims that he then took her to the bathroom, exposed himself, and demanded oral sex. She alleges that he then raped her, despite her pleas for him to stop, and infected her with HPV.

In response to the allegations, Carter’s attorney, Michael Holtz, denied the allegations, stating that “this claim about an incident that supposedly took place more than 20 years ago is not only legally meritless but also entirely untrue.” Holtz added that he was confident the accusations would be dismissed once the facts were presented.

This is not the first time Carter has faced sexual assault allegations. In 2017, Melissa Schuman, a former member of the girl group Dream, accused Carter of raping her in 2003 when she was 18, and he was 22. Carter denied the accusations, and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office declined to prosecute due to the statute of limitations. Following the public accusations, more women came forward with allegations against Carter. Ashley Repp is the third woman to sue Carter in 2023.

Fallen Idols, which has released six episodes so far, explores these allegations in detail and exposes the once-favorite singer. 

Warning: This article contains mention of sexual assault – please proceed with caution

In light of the recent success of Quiet on Set, Investigation Discovery and Max have announced another documentary, Fallen Idols, this time focusing on the controversies surrounding Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter and his late brother Aaron.

The cultural influence of the Backstreet Boys is something that cannot be denied – but in the years since the world famous boy band broke up singer, Nick Carter, has found himself at the center of a big controversy. Meanwhile, his brother who wasn’t a part of the boy band, but was famous as a singer and rapper in his own right, was supposedly struggling with mental health as well as substance abuse — he ultimately fell out with his brother before his untimely death.

The four part documentary, which is set to release over the course of two days, (May 27th and May 28th) is set to dive into the allegations made against Nick Carter, according to an article from Variety, this will be the crux of the series. While Nick is set to be the focal point, the docies will also touch on Aaron Carter’s view on his brother as well as the numerous troubles he was facing himself.

The allegations against Nick Carter

Multiple women have come forward to accuse Carter of sexual assault in the last couple of years, with one of the women saying she was 15 at the time she was assaulted by the singer. An article from 8 News Now reported that Carter filed a counterclaim refuting the woman’s story, as well as claiming the woman also had sex with his younger brother, Aaron.

A separate lawsuit was filed by another individual named Shannon Ruth, who alleges she was 17 when she was assaulted by Carter. Once again, the singer’s counterclaim refutes her story, stating that he doesn’t even recall meeting the individual. Yet another acc is Melissa Schumer, formerly a member of the girl group Dream. She claims that she was raped by Carter in 2003, according an article from Entertainment Weekly.

Carter has denied all of the allegations made against him, claiming that these individuals are trying to extort money out of him. Nick is currently in the process of countersuing his accs.

Aaron Carter

Before his ing in 2022, Aaron was struggling with mental health issues and a drug addiction. He’d also lost custody of his son over his drug use and domestic violence. During this period, Aaron came out in of the victims of his brother, rather than ing Nick. In fact, he was incredibly vocal when it came to calling out his brother, leading to lots of hate going his way, and a very public feud between the two brothers. However, the feud was ultimately cut short.

Aaron’s drug use would get the better of him eventually, as he was found unresponsive in his bathtub on November 5th 2022 by his housekeeper. Although the cause of his death was not immediately made public, it would later be revealed that Aaron had drowned after inhaling difluoroethane and taking alprazolam.

Fallen Idols will be available to watch in four parts dropping Monday, May 27th and Tuesday May 28th 9 p.m. ET.

Content warning: The following story contains descriptions of sexual assault.

Backstreet Boys member and father of three, Nick Carter, is being sued for allegations of rape and sexual assault in connection with a 17-year-old minor. 

Shannon Ruth, now 39, came forth with her statement on a Facebook Live live-stream today alongside her attorney Mark J. Boskovich of Corsiglia McMahon & Allard. In a detailed recounting of the incident, Ruth claims that in 2001, Carter brought her onto the band’s tour bus following a Backstreet Boys concert and raped her. 

Ruth had been waiting to meet Carter in an autograph line. After securing her signature, Carter allegedly invited her onto the tour bus and offered her a “red-colored drink” he called “VIP juice,” according to Page Six. “After he raped me, I him calling me a ‘re****ed bitch’ and grabbing me and leaving bruises on my arm.” She was a virgin at the time.

Ruth, who is neurodivergent and lives with cerebral palsy, says that she’s spent the last 21 years filled with “pain, confusion, frustration, shame, and self-harm that are a direct result of Nick Carter raping me.”

“Even though I’m autistic and live with cerebral palsy, 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.”

According to Boskovich, Ruth not only wishes to be identified by name, but hopes her bravery will help other sexual assault survivors come forward with their testimony. “Just because Nick Carter is a celebrity does not mean that he is excused from his crimes,” she said. “I am a survivor and always will be.”

Carter has a long history of sexual assault allegations that extend into well into 2002, the year following Ruth’s aforementioned encounter with the boy-band member. 

Former pop singer and member of the girl-group Dream, Melissa Schuman, alleged in a lengthy, now-deleted blog post from 2017 that Carter performed nonconsensual oral sex on her in 2002, and forced her to do the same to him. She claims he repeatedly whispered “’Don’t worry. I won’t tell anybody,” in response to her complaints. By her recounting, he then forced her onto the bed and raped her. 

Carter fervently denied Schuman’s allegations, saying he was never led to believe that their interactions were anything but consensual, according to Insider.

“I am shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman’s accusations,” he said, “Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual. We went on to record a song and perform together, and I was always respectful and ive of Melissa both personally and professionally. This is the first that I am hearing about these accusations, nearly two decades later. It is contrary to my nature and everything I hold dear to intentionally cause someone discomfort or harm.”

Carter was never criminally charged for Schuman’s allegations of rape.

The boy-band member recently suffered the loss of his younger brother, Aaron Carter, who died on Nov. 5. He opened up about the situation on his Instagram, calling his relationship with Aaron “complicated.”

Nick Carter has not yet responded to Shannon Ruth’s allegations of rape and sexual assault.

If you know someone suffering from sexual violence,  RAINN or the National Sexual Abuse Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

Former Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter announced that he launched a mental health fund with his sister, Angel, in memory of their younger brother, Aaron Carter, after he ed away on Nov. 5. All donations will go towards a children’s mental health organization that the Carter brothers were involved with for years.

Nick and Angel announced on their Instagram stories that they have set up a donation fund for those who want to honor their brother and help others at the same time. Nick thanked fans for their overwhelming since Aaron’s ing and said that he wanted to launch a donation fund in his memory.

“Very grateful for the outpour of love and for my brother. In his memory, a donation fund has been started to benefit @OnOurSleevesOfficial, an important children’s mental health organization helping families across America.” 

Meanwhile, Angel said that she and her family felt overwhelmed by the ongoing love and since her brother’s death and continued to advocate for the importance of mental health.

“My family and I are overwhelmed by all the love and that we have been shown over the past week since Aaron’s ing. The amazing memories you’ve shared of Aaron have brought a smile to my face in an incredibly dark time.”

“Mental health is so unbelievably important. It’s not talked about enough and is so often overlooked. Mental illness leads to so many different problems within your life and can result in serious issues like addiction. In honor of Aaron, a donation fund has been set up to benefit @OnOurSleevesOfficial, an important children’s mental health organization helping families across America.”

Nick’s representatives told TMZ that all the collected funds would immediately go to the children’s mental health organization. The funds would help provide funding for educational content and lesson plans for schools and organizations. At the same time, they’re paying it forward by helping others in the community.

“By honoring Aaron, you help Nick, Angel, and their family’s commitment of helping others.”

On Our Sleeves is an American organization, whose goal is to break the stigma of children’s mental health. They aim to provide educational resources, as well as connect struggling families to trusted resources. It was also an organization that Aaron served as ambassador and one that Nick heavily ed for years.

Aaron Carter was found dead in his California home at age 34. Up to this point, it’s still currently unknown what was the cause of death, but reports say that he was found drowned in his bathtub. Nick has itted that he and his brother had a complicated relationship, yet he still loves him.

News of Aaron Carter’s death caught fans by surprise on Saturday when he was found at his home in California. His brother Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter has finally broken the silence with a tearjerking message fans needed to hear.

It’s no secret that Aaron Carter suffered from addiction and mental illness. Nick acknowledges those villains and knows that now Aaron has finally found the peace he struggled to find here.

All that is known at this point is that the police were called to his residence to find Aaron Carter’s body drowned in the tub. It’s too soon for an autopsy report to have been released and the law enforcement officials have given no hint of any wrongdoing. He was only 34 years old.

Aaron was nine years old when his self-titled album sold over a million copies. His next album Aaron’s Party (Come Get It) blew past his first one with over three million sales when the young rapper was only 13 years old. That’s when he got the call from the Backstreet Boys to open for them while they were on tour. He also starred with his brother in House of Carters, an E! reality series that followed his family through the ups and downs of stardom.

Celebrities such as Hilary Duff have voiced their loss over the devastating news. To lose anyone in such a tragic way touches us all so deeply because everyone knows at least one person who suffers from addiction, mental illness, or both.

If you or anyone you know suffers from addiction or mental illness, free help is available. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services istration has a 24-hour confidential hotline to find substance use treatment and information. Just dial 1-800-662-4357.

Aaron Carter, who started out his career as a teen heartthrob and singer, has been found dead in his California home at the age of 34.

Scant information is currently available on Carter’s death, but he was discovered in his bathtub in his Lancaster home Saturday, according to TMZ. Though authorities have not named the individual, the Los Angeles County Fire Department confirmed that they received a 911 call around 11 am saying someone had drowned at the 42000 block of Valley Vista Drive, KTLA reported.

Though TMZ reported that homicide detectives were called to the scene, which is considered a standard procedure for death investigations, the publication clarified they did not receive any information that foul play is necessarily suspected. The home of the singer-turned-rapper and actor was surrounded by sheriffs’ cars, paramedics, and caution tape after the body was discovered, the report said.

As the younger brother of Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, Aaron Carter not only followed in his brother’s footsteps, but also arguably carved his own path to pop-culture success. His sophomore album Aaron’s Party (Come Get It) went triple platinum. Carter also made notable acting appearances early on in his career in shows like Lizzie McGuire and 7th Heaven.

Later on, Carter had a high-profile struggle with addiction issues, legal problems, and juggling rehab with trying to still continue his music career. Carter also accused his older brother Nick of trying to put him in a conservatorship at one point.

Carter is survived by a son named Prince.

I Used to be Famous will become Netflix-famous on Sep. 16. This highly-anticipated film follows a former boy band frontman on the back end of relevancy, whose career is reinvigorated—and life repurposed—by a chance encounter with a drummer on the autism spectrum. It sounds like a poignant but inspirational music documentary along the lines of Searching for Sugar Man, Anvil! The Story of Anvil, or The Devil and Daniel Johnston, but is it? We’re here to explain whether I Used to be Famous is a documentary, completely fictional, or based on a true story. And if it is based on a true story, we’ll tell it.

Is I Used to be Famous a documentary?

Unfortunately for rock-doc-heads, it is not a documentary. Fortunately for dram-com-heads, I Used to be Famous is a dramedy co-written and directed by Eddie Sternberg and adapted from his 2015 short film of the same name. It is set in Sternberg’s native England for reasons more thematic than practical. “It is made in the vein of The Full Monty, Billy Elliot, and East Is East . . . that sort of heartfelt British film with a bit of grit,” the director told Variety. “It’s heartfelt rather than cheesy.”

Vince, the no-longer-a-boy band member, is played by Ed Skrein, who you may recognize from Deadpool or Game of Thrones, while Stevie, the more-like-a-boy but less-like-a-boy-band-member, is played by Leo Long, a multi-instrumental musician and newcomer to screen acting. Although both characters are fictional, they have real-world counterparts, especially Stevie.

What is I Used to be Famous based on?

For the crux of the movie and Vince’s characterization, Sternberg drew upon boy band and girl band alumni—those that became famous at a young age, had an “excess of sex, drugs, rock and roll,” and then got “chewed up and spat out.” He didn’t name any specific ex-, but there are many candidates, including Jeff Timmons (98 Degrees) and Nick Carter (Backstreet Boys), whose highly-publicized transgressions may have come, in Sternberg’s words, from “having to deal with that void” and being a “product” rather than an artist.

Sternberg modeled Stevie, Vince’s artistic antithesis, on his cousin Saul Zur-Szpiro. An autistic person with extensive needs, Zur-Szpiro transformed into a capable and fearless musician. Recalls Sternberg:

“By picking up drumsticks, Saul—who was agoraphobic, didn’t like going out, didn’t like crowds—suddenly, through music got this power to perform in front of 1,000 people. It gives me shivers talking about it. So I thought that was music in its purest form.”

Zur-Szpiro’s the drummer and co-founder of The AutistiX, a London-based, majority-neurodivergent rock band that has toured internationally and performed with the likes of Tom Jones. “When you watch Saul perform, it’s just pure enjoyment, there’s no ego attached to it,” Sternberg continued. “Whereas with Vince, it’s all ego, and it’s all manufactured.”

In summation, I Used to be Famous is a fictional film with strong links to reality, particularly with Stevie being Zur-Szpiro’s counterpart on screen. The movie will have a limited theatrical run in the UK before landing on Netflix for the rest of the world to see.