Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter Accused of Sexually Assaulting Woman, Giving Her STDs

Nick Carter, one of the five members of the Backstreet Boys, has been accused of sexual assault by a woman, who also alleges the singer gave her STDs. Through a lawyer, he has denied the claims. 

By Olivia Evans Apr 15, 2025 3:22 PM
| Updated Apr 15, 2025 6:55 PM
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Watch: Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter Accused of Sexually Assaulting Woman, Giving Her STDs

Content warning: This story includes details of sexual assault.

Nick Carter is facing more legal trouble. 

The Backstreet Boys singer has been accused of sexual assault and transferring sexually transmitted diseases by a woman named Laura Penly, according to documents obtained by People

In Penry’s lawsuit, per People, she alleges that she met Carter—who is the older brother to the late Aaron Carter—in 2004 when she was around 19, and they began having a consensual sexual relationship for several weeks. During this time, she alleges that she had asked Carter to wear a condom, but he refused, claiming he was “clean” from STDs, per her filing obtained by People

Penly went on to state that in early 2005, she went over to Carter’s apartment and told him that she did not want to have sex, according to the outlet, but he claimed that had been the “only” reason she had come to see him. Per Penly’s filing, the “Superman” singer then threw her onto his bed and “forcefully” penetrated her without a condom, despite her saying “no” multiple times. 

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Following the alleged incident, Penly—who said in the filing she had never had unprotected sex up to that point—said she was diagnosed with HPV in July 2005, and also tested positive for chlamydia and gonorrhea at that time. She also said she was later diagnosed with stage two cervical cancer in August 2005 as a result of her HPV.

In her filing, Penly alleges that she has had to undergo cancer treatments, including surgery, as well as suffered from emotional distress, physical anguish and other trauma as a result of the alleged assault by Carter. She is suing him for sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and is pursuing damages.

In a statement from his lawyers, Carter denies all of Penly’s allegations.

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“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,” the lawyers said in a statement to E! News. “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." 

Penly stated in her filing, per TMZ, that Carter had told her to keep the assault to herself because no one would believe her."

Elsewhere in their statement to E!, Carter’s representatives added, “Nick does not recall ever even meeting Laura Penly. He certainly never had any romantic or sexual relationship with her. Ever."

Carter has faced previous sexual assault allegations dating back to 2017 from at least four separate women including Melissa Schuman, Ashley Repp, Shannon Ruth, all of whom detailed their allegations in the 2024 documentary Fallen Idols

Carter—who shares kids Odin, 9, Saoirse, 5, and Pearl, 4, with wife Laura Kitt—has maintained his innocence throughout the slew of allegations, and even attempted to file a countersuit for defamation against Schuman—who had publicly accused him of sexual assault in 2017 for a 2003 occurrence—although a judge later ruled that he could not move forward with the lawsuit.  

For free, confidential help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit rainn.org.

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