> At a Glance
> – Stacie Orrico claims former manager Britt Ham sexually abused her from age 14
> – Lawsuit names Universal Music Group, ForeFront Records, and others for negligence
> – Singer says abuse lasted years and derailed her music career
> – Why it matters: Case spotlights child-protection failures in faith-based music industry
Former teen pop singer Stacie Orrico has filed a Los Angeles lawsuit accusing her onetime manager of years of sexual abuse and accusing her record label of ignoring red flags. The complaint, lodged on January 6, seeks unspecified damages and a jury trial.
The Allegations
Orrico, now 39, alleges the abuse began in 2000 when she was 14 and on a Los Angeles business trip. Court papers say Britt Ham kissed her, touched her over her clothes, and later told her “the acts were not a sin because he loved her.”
Further assaults followed during 2001 trips when she was 15, the filing claims:
- Digital penetration
- Ham rubbing against her until ejaculation
- Witnesses allegedly saw inappropriate touching
The suit contends that a chaperone who voiced concern was fired and that a poolside observer warned her father the two were touching “too much.”
Industry Negligence Claimed
Signed to ForeFront at 13, Orrico says the label marketed her as a “wholesome” Christian artist yet failed to shield her from Ham. The abuse escalated to penetrative sex in 2003 when she was 17, according to the complaint, and ended only when she cut ties in March 2004 after turning 18.
Her attorneys argue the defendants:
- Knew or should have known of the abuse
- Chose reputation and profit over her safety
- Allowed her career to collapse once she broke free
Aftermath and Impact
Orrico’s last album dropped in 2006; she walked away from ForeFront and Virgin the next year. She now links the exit to anxiety, depression, and panic attacks triggered by the alleged abuse.
> “The music industry failed to protect me when I was a little girl,” Orrico said in a statement released to News Of Los Angeles.
> “Stacie’s case is a chilling account of a child whose love for God and whose extraordinary talent drew the attention of an industry that saw profit, not protection,” attorney Mo Hamoudi told News Of Los Angeles.
Today a married mother of two, Orrico credits her husband with helping her reclaim her voice and is ready to “fight for every young and innocent person” still at risk.
Key Takeaways
- Lawsuit names multiple music entities alongside Britt Ham
- Alleged pattern began when Orrico was a minor and continued for years
- Singer says trauma ended her chart run and left lasting psychological scars
- Seeks accountability through civil court after years of therapy
The filing arrives as the music business faces wider scrutiny over safeguarding young talent, spotlighting what Orrico calls systemic failure inside both the industry and the Church networks that launched her career.
