Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter faces fourth rape allegation in new lawsuit over alleged STD transmission

Nick Carter, once a teen heartthrob and now a longstanding member of the Backstreet Boys, is again under legal and public scrutiny as a fourth woman steps forward with serious accusations. Laura Penly, now in her late thirties, has filed a lawsuit alleging that Carter assaulted her twice in 2005 and exposed her to sexually transmitted infections, including HPV, an infection she claims led to cervical cancer.

Penly says she first met Carter in 2004 when she was 19 and visited him occasionally in Los Angeles. According to her, the two had consensual sex early on, but things escalated when she made it clear she didn’t want to continue. In her lawsuit, she alleges that Carter ignored her refusal and raped her, refusing to use protection. She also claims he later apologised, only to assault her again on a second visit.

Nick Carter's career spanning decades is being overshadowed by mounting legal troublesGetty Images

What makes this case especially grave is Penly’s claim that she contracted multiple STDs, including HPV, from Carter. A few months after the alleged assaults, she says she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and has since undergone treatment, suffering both physically and emotionally. She’s now demanding a jury trial and damages exceeding £12,000 (₹12.5 lakh).

This is not the first time Carter has faced such allegations. In 2022, Shannon Ruth accused him of raping her in 2001 when she was 17. Ruth, who has cerebral palsy and is on the autism spectrum, said she was invited onto his tour bus after a concert and was given a drink before being assaulted. A year later, former girl group member Melissa Schuman alleged that Carter raped her in his Santa Monica apartment in 2003, despite her repeatedly saying no. Another woman, Ashley Repp, filed a lawsuit claiming Carter raped her in 2003 when she was just 15. Each of these women has provided detailed accounts, and all claim lasting trauma.

A new lawsuit alleges Nick Carter of sexual assault and HPV transmission dating back to 2005Getty Images

Carter has denied every accusation. His lawyers argue that these lawsuits are part of a smear campaign and that the claims are unfounded. He has filed defamation suits against some of the accusers, though one has already been dismissed in court. Two more are set to go to trial next year.

With four women now accusing Carter of sexual misconduct spanning more than two decades, the spotlight has shifted from his career milestones to the growing number of women demanding accountability.