Jimmie Allen Files Countersuit Against His Sexual Assault Accusers in Bid to 'Protect' His 'Reputation'

Jimmie Allen, who filed for divorce in April, also said he'd taken a few months to respond so he could "fix my family first"

Months after he was accused of sexual assault and abuse by two different women, country singer Jimmie Allen has filed counterclaims against both of his accusers.

The country singer, 38, said in a statement that his goal in responding to the women in court is to “protect my reputation and refute these claims that have caused severe damage to my family, mental health and business.”

Allen was sued in May by his former manager, who claims he raped her, abused her and sexually harassed her multiple times under the watchful eye of his management team. Then in June, a second woman filed suit, claiming the singer secretly filmed their sexual encounter in a hotel room, and engaged in sexual contact with her after she’d revoked her consent.

The Grammy-nominated musician said in his statement that he’d taken his time responding to the lawsuits, as he “wanted to fix my family first” (Allen and his pregnant wife Alexis both filed for divorce in April after three years of marriage).

“I’ve taken a couple months before publicly responding to these claims, because I wanted to fix my family first. This situation has caused me great humiliation, and I felt it was necessary to seek professional help,” he wrote. “For years, I have dealt with racism and harmful threats solely because I am a Black man in the country music industry, and this situation has only amplified that.”

He claimed: “These false allegations have caused me to lose a vast number of business and endorsement opportunities that I worked extremely hard for. These false allegations have also not only harmed me, but have caused severe financial damage to my band, my team and their families.”

Beth Fegan, an attorney representing both accusers, tells PEOPLE in a statement that Allen's filings are "what we'd expect — claims that all his encounters with Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 were consensual."

"We're eager to show the court abundant evidence to the contrary, which we believe will prove that Jimmie Allen is a serial abuser and should be held accountable for his actions," she said. "It is becoming increasingly common for perpetrators to countersue their victims, claiming defamation. This is a concerning trend, one designed to convince victims that if they speak out, they will be the target of spurious litigation."

In light of the accusations, Allen was dropped by his record label, BBR Music Group, his agency, UTA, and his publicity firm Full Coverage Communications. He was also removed from the performer lineup at CMA Fest in June.

Related: Jimmie Allen Dropped by Record Label Following Second Sexual Assault Lawsuit

“As the legal process runs its course, I look forward to the opportunity to clear my name,” he wrote. “I am forever thankful for those who have stood by me and helped me share the truth. My team and I look forward to putting this behind us and getting back to the music.”

Allen filed his counterclaims on Thursday in Nashville federal court, seeking unspecified monetary damages, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. Billboard was first to report the news.

In the response to his former manager, Allen’s legal team claimed she defamed the singer with her allegations, and that her decision to make additional statements to Variety was "so outrageous that it is not tolerated by civilized society."

He also reiterated claims that their encounters were consensual, and said their affair ended in the fall of 2022 so he could “focus on repairing his relationship with his wife.”

Related: Jimmie Allen Hit with Second Sexual Assault Lawsuit by Woman Who Claims He Secretly Filmed Her

In her lawsuit, the manager, who filed as Jane Doe, claimed that Allen raped her during a March 2021 work trip to Los Angeles to film an episode of American Idol. She also alleged that the singer forced his fingers into her vagina, groped her breasts on a plane and masturbated in front of her at a hotel during a second trip in May 2021.

"I was disconnected from my body, feeling a sense of panic," she told Variety of the alleged rape, claiming that she remembered being in a confused state when Allen allegedly said to her, "'I've been thinking about this for so long.'"

She added, "He held me in place. At that point, any physical will was just out the door. I was pretty much paralyzed."

In his second counterclaim, Allen accused the woman (who also filed anonymously) of illegally stealing his cell phone, claiming she “wrongfully exerted a distinct act of dominion over Allen’s personal property.”

His lawyers also wrote that the singer had gotten her permission to record the encounter beforehand.

The woman said she reported the July 2022 incident to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, a spokesperson for which confirmed to PEOPLE last month that a report was filed.

In that suit, which was filed in June, also claimed she only agreed to sex with a condom because she was not on birth control — but that during their sexual encounter, Allen "told Plaintiff he wanted to get her pregnant. Plaintiff said no... He refused." In his counterclaim, Allen admitted that the two had unprotected sex, "but that Allen did not ejaculate during the encounter."

The allegations marked a swift fall from grace for Allen, who in recent years had started to make his name as a bona fide country star after more than a decade in the industry, with four No. 1 songs.

In 2021, he notched another chart-topper in "Freedom Was a Highway," featuring Brad Paisley, and became just the second Black star to win new artist of the year at the 2021 CMA Awards. He was also nominated for best new artist at the 2022 Grammy Awards (where he also performed), and opened for Carrie Underwood on her Denim & Rhinestones tour from October 2022 to March 2023.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

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