Nick Carter Returns to the Stage After Denying Sexual Battery Claim

Content warning: This story discusses sexual assault.

Nick Carter has returned to the stage a day after being accused of raping a teen more than 20 years ago.

The 42-year-old performed with his pop group Backstreet Boys at Z100’s 2022 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in New York City Dec. 9, one day after Shannon “Shay” Ruth, a 39-year-old woman with autism and cerebral palsy, filed a sexual battery lawsuit against the singer in Nevada. No criminal charges have been filed.

Nick, who denies the allegations, was all smiles as he took the stage at the Jingle Ball concert, performing with his bandmates hits from the group such as “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” “I Want It That Way” and “As Long as You Love Me.” Backstreet Boys also sang a cover of Wham!‘s 1984 song “Last Christmas,” which is featured on their new holiday album A Very Backstreet Christmas.

In her lawsuit, Ruth accuses Carter of raping her in 2001, when she was 17 years old, on Backstreet Boys’ tour bus following a concert in Tacoma, Washington. She also states that she was a virgin before her encounter with the singer and that she contracted HPV after the incident.