In August 2001, Orrico was once again in Los Angeles for rehearsal and was accompanied by Ham. This time, Orrico claims that after being instructed by Ham to come to his room for both business and personal reasons, including Bible study, “Ham sexually assaulted [her] in his hotel room by [finger] penetrating [her] genitals and rubbing his erect penis against [her] body until he ejaculated.”
The complaint states that, Greg Ham [no relation], who was the president of Orrico’s record label, ForeFront Records, witnessed [Britt] Ham’s “improper behavior towards [Orrico] on several occasions.” The complaint states that Greg informed Orrico’s father that Ham and Orrico had been displaying too much physical contact while at a pool.
Today, Greg is the founder and owner of one:eight Entertainment, an artist management and artist development company with a client roster that includes Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans, and Steven Curtis Chapman.
“Years later, Greg Ham admitted to the Brentwood Police Department that he knew that the then minor [Orrico] and Ham were in an inappropriate relationship,” the complaint explains. “He stated that he confronted all involved parties but that they all denied the relationship.”
The complaint also stated that ForeFront Records cofounder Eddie DeGarmo confronted Orrico about “her inappropriate relationship” with Ham and told her that he had received similar reports from [ForeFront] employees, blamed her for the relationship, and told her that it could jeopardize her career.” The lawsuit claims the defendants listed “did not intervene to investigate or report Ham’s sexual predatory behavior with the minor [Orrico] to the authorities at any time.”
According to the complaint, Ham and DeGarmo presented “[Britt] Ham as a trusted member of the Forefront family and broader Christian music industry family.”
The defendants’ “sole focus was the promotion and packaging of Plaintiff as a wholesome Christian artist with pop cross-over potential, to foster the financial interests of Defendants,” the complaint alleges.
In April 2003, while in Los Angeles to promote her self-titled second album, Orrico claims that Ham “summoned” her to his hotel room, “kissed her, rubbed her body and genitals, penetrated her [using his fingers], then had penetrative sex with her.” Orrico was 17.
When Orrico turned 18 on March 3, 2004, the complaint states that she “terminated her relationship with Ham.”
Orrico claims that Ham’s actions and alleged sexual abuse led to continued suffering which has included, “anxiety; depression; stress; panic attacks; interpersonal relationship dysfunction; muscle cramping; sensitivity to noise; artistic and creative impairment; performance anxiety, and spiritual harm.”
