3 People Allege Usher Failed To Warn Them About Genital Herpes

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Three people sued Usher Monday, accusing the singer of failing to inform them that he had genital herpes before engaging in sexual activity with them.

Quantasia Sharpton and two other plaintiffs, identified only as John and Jane Doe, brought the lawsuit, which alleges sexual battery, fraud, negligence and other charges.

Sharpton, who spoke to reporters Monday in New York alongside her Los Angeles-based attorney, Lisa Bloom, said she was celebrating her 19th birthday two years ago when Usher spotted her in the audience at one of his concerts.

She claimed she was invited backstage and had sex with the singer in a hotel room.

"He never warned me about any STDs. It was just after my 19th birthday. I never heard from him again," Sharpton said. "When I first heard reports that he had herpes, I couldn't believe it. Although I am negative, I was upset by the reports because I would have never consented if I would have known. ... I feel that my rights were violated."

Sharpton became a mother last year and has tested negative for herpes, according to Bloom, who said one of the other two plaintiffs does not have herpes either. Only one of the three plaintiffs has herpes, she said.

The lawsuit was filed in California, where she said the law requires disclosure of a herpes diagnosis to one's sex partner.

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, alleges that the two female plaintiffs had vaginal sex with Usher, while the male plaintiff alleges he and the married singer engaged in oral sex.

The suit came just weeks after it was revealed that the eight-time Grammy winner reportedly paid a celebrity stylist $1.1 million in 2012 to settle a lawsuit after she claimed to have contracted herpes from him.

"Mr. Raymond has not publicly denied the reports that he was diagnosed with the virus in approximately 2009," Bloom claimed. "Nor has he denied the reports that he had unprotected sex with a woman after his diagnosis and transmitted the virus to her without warning her, paying her a $1.1 million settlement in compensation for her injuries."

"If Mr. Raymond is in fact a carrier of the virus as these reports state, my three clients allege that he violated their rights by failing to warn them prior to having sexual contact with them. At least one of my clients has tested positive for the virus," Bloom said.

A representative for the 38-year-old singer, whose real name is Usher Raymond IV, could not be immediately reached for comment.