Nick Carter asked a judge for permission to add the mother of his sexual assault accuser Melissa Schuman as a defendant in his lawsuit alleging an attempted shakedown against him, Us every week can exclusively report.
On Thursday, November 13, Carter’s legal team revealed plans to add Schuman’s mother, Leisha Stinsonto sue for damages for defamation and extortion.
The pop star’s team recently dismissed Schuman’s father, Jerome Schumanwho is already accused in the lawsuit. During his deposition, Jerome testified that Stinson, his ex-wife and Melissa’s mother, operated an anonymous Twitter account that Carter claimed was used as part of the extortion plot.
The Backstreet Boys star said the Twitter account was used to spread “false, fabricated, defamatory and threatening statements” about him. Carter claimed that Melissa’s mother or the entire family “actively hid the true identity of the owner of the Twitter account.”
“Then they used the above fictional account to defame Carter and further their extortion goals,” the motion states. Carter demanded that he be allowed to add Stinson as a defendant so she could be “held accountable for the harm and damage her unlawful conduct has caused.”
The judge has not yet ruled.
As We previously reported, Carter’s legal drama began in 2022 when Shannon Ruth sued the singer for an alleged assault in 2002. Carter has denied the allegations.
Nick Carter
Andrew H. Walker/Getty ImagesCarter filed a countersuit against Melissa, Jerome, and Ruth in February 2023. He accused the trio of conspiring together to create false assault accusations in an attempt to extract a financial settlement from him. The trio have denied all accusations of wrongdoing.
Melissa filed her own lawsuit against Carter for an alleged assault in 2003. The pop star later countersued her, claiming her false accusations cost him endorsement deals.
In his countersuit, Carter demanded that Melissa pay him more than $2 million in damages for damage to his reputation.
In his filing, Carter admitted to having a consensual encounter with Schuman in 2003. “After having consensual sex, [Melissa] And [Carter] fell asleep. [Melissa] I slept next door [Carter] all night,” the Backstreet Boys star’s lawyer said.
The trials and tribulations of Nick and Aaron Carter get the docuseries treatment. Nick, 44, and Aaron, who died in November 2022 at the age of 34, will be featured in the upcoming Investigation Discovery series Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter. According to Variety, the two-part series will examine sexual assault accusations […]
“At no time [Carter] sexual assault [Schuman] or any other person,” the pop star’s team said in court documents.
Carter said Melissa’s participation in a 2024 documentary, as well as numerous other interviews in which she made “false” allegations of abuse, caused great harm to her career.
“In addition to publishing defamatory statements around the world on social media and other media outlets, [Melissa] has also copied or “labeled” many of his own and others’ defamatory statements directly to third parties who are involved in or have influence over [Nick‘s] potential business opportunities, benefits and contracts,” his lawyer said.
As We As first reported, as part of the legal battle, Carter is expected to be deposed in the case in the coming months. The pop star will be expected to testify during his break from Backstreet Boys’ successful residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, which was recently extended with new dates into next year.
