A Los Angeles jury found Friday in favor of Ricky Garcia, a former member of the boy band Forever in Your Mind, in a rape lawsuit against his ex-manager, TMZ reported.
Garcia had been sexually assaulted by his ex-manager, Joby Harte, during his early teenage years, according to TMZ. The court found Harte liable of several charges, including childhood sexual abuse, gender violence, and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. Garcia filed the lawsuit in 2019 at the age of 20, he was awarded a total of $6.5 million in damages. The amount consisted of $5.5 million in compensatory damages and an additional $1 million in punitive damages.
Forever in Your Mind Singer Ricky Garcia Wins Rape Case Against Ex-Manager | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/iseH3EMAaF
— TMZ (@TMZ) March 9, 2024
Garcia accused Harte of grooming and assaulting him over several years, starting from the tender age of 12, TMZ reported. The musician gained fame after impressing Simon Cowell on season 3 of “The X Factor” and subsequently joining Forever in Your Mind. Beyond his music career, Garcia also had a stint as a child actor, appearing in over 30 episodes of the Disney Channel series “Best Friends Whenever.” (RELATED: ‘I Will Survive’ Singer Gloria Gaynor Dishes On How The Song Was Her Own Story)
Garcia’s lawsuit alleges that Harte had orchestrated so-called songwriting sessions that turned into nightmares. The suit also claims that Harte would intoxicate Garcia, and there was one instance where he remembers waking up naked and vulnerable in Harte’s bed. Garcia added that he was coerced into performing sexual acts before he reached the age of consent. Garcia said he was afraid of losing his career, so he kept silent for years. It was only after confronting Harte with his mother that Garcia found the courage to take legal action, according to TMZ.