Who are Melissa Schuman, Ashley Repp, and Shay Ruth? All allegations against Nick Carter from Fallen Idols explored

Investigation Discovery's latest docuseries Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter delves into the brothers' rise to fame and their tumultuous lives. The four-part documentary features interviews with three women who accused Nick Carter of s*xual assault, whose legal proceedings are currently ongoing. It also explores Aaron Carter's struggles with mental health and substance abuse, leading to his death in 2022 at age 34.

The docuseries highlights allegations against Nick Carter by three women: Melissa Schuman from the girl group Dream, Ashley Repp, a friend of Aaron Carter's sister, and Shannon "Shay" Ruth, the first to file a lawsuit in December 2022.

The series delves into the Carter family's tumultuous history and tragedies, including Leslie's death from a drug overdose at 25, Aaron's drowning at 34 under the influence of Xanax and difluoroethane, and Bobbie Jean's overdose at 41. Nick Carter has denied all the allegations and refused to be involved in the series.

Here is everything to know about the women and their allegations against the Backstreet Boys member.

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of s*xual acts and assault.

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Melissa Schuman's allegations against Nick Carter in Fallen Idols

Melissa Schuman (Image via Instagram/@themelissaschuman)

Melissa Schuman is an American singer and actress who is widely known for being part of the American girl group Dream. In Fallen Idols, she is seen recounting her alleged assault by Nick Carter in 2003 while they were filming the TV movie The Hollow.

Schuman claimed that Nick invited her and a friend to his apartment in Santa Monica for a casual hangout. He reportedly took her to the bathroom, forcibly performed oral s*x on her despite her protests, and humiliated her by insisting on keeping the light on. Schuman further claimed that Nick then coerced her to reciprocate, becoming angry when she refused.

As per her claims, they moved to the bedroom where she repeatedly told him she was saving herself for marriage, but he ignored her pleas and s*xually assaulted her. The next day, Nick allegedly texted her, asking, “Why did you make me do that?” She shared that the message unsettled her, and her manager discouraged her from reporting it.

After Schuman revealed the incident in 2017 via her blog post, Nick’s ex-girlfriend Kaya Jones reached out and expressed her support for Schuman. Kaya Jones is a former member of the Pussycat Dolls girl group and expressed her support for Schuman, appearing in the Fallen Idols docuseries as well.

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Ashley Repp's allegations against Nick Carter in Fallen Idols

Ashley Repp was a friend of Aaron Carter's twin sister Angel. In the summer of 2003, Ashley was invited to stay with the family in the Florida Keys compound. According to an August 2023 complaint, Repp accused Nick of providing her with alcohol so that she was intoxicated, knowing she was underage, and performing s*xual acts on her without her consent.

She claimed that Nick repeatedly attacked her and recounted another incident where they were on a boat. Repp claimed that Nick Carter encouraged and enticed his three male friends to watch him "engage in sexual intercourse" through the skylight of the compound. As a consequence of such encounters with him, Repp allegedly contracted a s*xually transmitted disease.

As per records available online, Nick denied Repp’s allegations in a countersuit filed in January 2024.

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Shay Ruth's allegations against Nick Carter in Fallen Idols

A poster for 'Fallen Idols' (Image via Warner Brothers Discovery)

Another accuser who appears in Fallen Idols is a former fan named Shannon "Shay" Ruth who was the first one to file a lawsuit against Nick Carter in December 2022. Ruth suffers from cerebral palsy and autism.

She alleged that she was invited to the Backstreet Boys tour bus after attending a concert in Tacoma, Washington, in 2001. Only 17 years old at the time, Ruth claimed that Nick s*xually assaulted her on the bus. When she attempted to resist his advances and threatened to tell everyone, he allegedly became aggressive and called her a "retarded b*tch."

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Nick Carter has denied all the allegations and even filed a countersuit against his accusers in January 2024. Meanwhile, Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter is available to stream on Max.