Stacie Orrico, the gospel and contemporary Christian music artist who achieved mainstream success in the early 2000s, has filed a lawsuit containing disturbing allegations of sustained sexual abuse by her former manager that she says began when she was just 14 years old.
The civil complaint, which names her former manager Britt Ham as well as Universal Music Group, alleges a pattern of predatory behavior that Orrico claims spanned several years during the height of her adolescent career. The lawsuit paints a troubling picture of alleged exploitation that she says was enabled by a culture of silence within the Christian music industry.
According to the legal filing, Orrico alleges that Ham began exhibiting inappropriate behavior toward her in the late 1990s when she was a teenage artist signed to a Christian music label. The lawsuit claims Ham systematically isolated the young singer from her parents by arranging what he described as daily Bible study sessions—a pretense that Orrico says allowed him unsupervised access to her.
During these sessions, the lawsuit alleges, Ham engaged in conduct that progressed from inappropriate conversations to physical contact. Orrico claims Ham leveraged her Christian faith and public image as a weapon of silence, allegedly telling her that disclosing what was happening would destroy her reputation in the Christian music community and end her career.
The allegations detail specific incidents, including a July 2001 trip to Los Angeles for concert rehearsals. Orrico, who would have been 15 at the time, claims Ham instructed her to come to his hotel room, where he allegedly kissed her and touched her inappropriately in what she characterizes as sexual contact. The lawsuit states that similar incidents occurred the following month at the same Los Angeles hotel.
The most serious allegation involves an incident Orrico says occurred in 2003, when she was 17 years old. According to the complaint, Ham engaged in penetrative sexual intercourse with her during that time.
Perhaps equally troubling are Orrico’s claims that multiple individuals within her professional circle were aware of the inappropriate relationship but failed to take adequate action to protect her.
The lawsuit specifically names Greg Ham, an executive with Electric and Music Industries (EMI)—the parent company of Orrico’s label at the time—alleging that he informed Orrico’s parents about inappropriate physical contact between their daughter and Britt Ham. According to the complaint, Greg Ham later told police investigators that he knew the pair were involved in what he described as an “unhealthy relationship.”
Orrico also alleges that Eddie DeGarmo, another music industry executive with deep ties to the Christian music scene, acknowledged being aware of the conduct as early as 2002. However, rather than intervening to protect the teenage artist, Orrico claims DeGarmo blamed her for the situation and warned that it could derail her burgeoning career.
The lawsuit seeks damages on multiple grounds, including childhood sexual abuse, sexual battery, and negligence. Universal Music Group is named as a defendant because the company acquired EMI in 2012, making it the successor entity responsible for the label’s operations during the period in question.
By including Universal in the suit, Orrico’s legal team appears to be arguing that the corporate structure that profited from her work as a minor artist bears responsibility for the alleged failure to provide adequate supervision and protection. The negligence claims suggest that record label executives and affiliated parties had a duty of care toward their underage artist that they allegedly breached.
Orrico burst onto the Christian music scene as a teenager in the late 1990s, quickly becoming one of the genre’s most promising young voices. Her 2000 debut album, “Genuine,” was followed by her 2003 crossover album, “Stacie Orrico,” which featured the pop hit “Stuck” and achieved mainstream success beyond the Christian music market.
At the time these alleged incidents were occurring, Orrico was navigating the pressures of early fame, extensive touring, and the transition from child performer to young adult artist—all while allegedly enduring abuse from someone in a position of trust and authority over her career.
This lawsuit adds to a growing reckoning within the entertainment industry over the protection of minors and the power dynamics that have historically enabled abuse. The Christian music industry, in particular, has faced scrutiny in recent years over how allegations of misconduct have been handled, with critics arguing that religious institutions and faith-based organizations have sometimes prioritized reputation management over victim protection.
Legal experts note that survivors of childhood sexual abuse often take years or decades to come forward, as trauma, shame, and fear of professional or social consequences can create significant barriers to disclosure. Many states have extended or eliminated statutes of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases in recent years, recognizing these dynamics.
Representatives for Universal Music Group have not yet issued a public statement regarding the lawsuit. Attempts to reach Britt Ham and Eddie DeGarmo for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
The case is expected to proceed through civil courts, where Orrico will have the opportunity to present evidence supporting her allegations.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Gospel singer Stacie Orrico has filed a lawsuit alleging her former manager, Britt Ham, sexually abused her starting at age 14, using Bible study sessions to isolate her and threatening that disclosure would ruin her Christian music career. The abuse allegedly escalated over several years, including incidents when she was 15 and 17.
