Stacie Orrico sues former manager over alleged childhood sexual abuse
American gospel and pop singer Stacie Orrico has filed a childhood sexual abuse lawsuit against her former manager and several music industry companies, accusing them of failing to protect her from abuse when she was a teenager. In court documents filed in Los Angeles, Orrico alleges that her manager, identified as Britt Ham, sexually assaulted her beginning at the age of 14 during business trips and other work-related travel. She says that the abuse continued for several years while she was still a minor, and that staff at her record labels did nothing to stop it despite warning signs and reports of inappropriate behaviour.
The lawsuit names Universal Music Group, ForeFront Records and other executives connected to her early career, claiming negligence, sexual battery, long-term emotional harm and gender-based violence. Orrico, now 39, says the experiences left her with years of psychological trauma, including anxiety, depression and panic attacks, and that her promising music career faded after she left the industry. Her attorneys argue that those responsible prioritised profit and public image over her safety and wellbeing, and that the industry’s failure to safeguard a child artist contributed to the prolonged abuse.
Orrico first rose to fame in the late 1990s after winning a Christian music festival and signing with a record label, later achieving mainstream success with hits like “(There’s Gotta Be) More to Life” and “Stuck.” Her lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a jury trial as she aims to hold her former manager and the associated companies accountable. In a statement, Orrico said it took years to find the strength to come forward and that she hopes her case will protect other young performers from similar exploitation. The defendants have not yet publicly responded to the allegations.
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