Runaways Songwriter Reaches Conditional Settlement in Kim Fowley Abuse Case

Kari Krome, a former songwriter for the iconic all-girl rock band The Runaways, has reached a conditional settlement with the estate of late music producer Kim Fowley in her decades-old sexual abuse lawsuit.

Krome, now an adult, alleges she was groomed and assaulted by Fowley starting in 1974 when she was just 13 years old.

According to court filings, Krome claims Fowley once dragged her into his bedroom by her ankle and assaulted her while other teen band members slept on his living room floor.

RollingStone reported that Krome says the abuse continued at least six more times over the following year, when she was 14 to 15 and Fowley was in his mid-30s. Fowley passed away in 2015 at age 75.

In a related Huffington Post article published after Fowley's death, Runaways member Jackie Fuchs also accused Fowley of sexual assault.

Krome corroborated Fuchs' account, noting she was only 14 at the time and felt powerless to stop the abuse.

A hearing on the proposed settlement with Fowley's estate is scheduled for January 14 in probate court.

Krome's civil claims against former KROQ DJ Rodney Bingenheimer, first filed in December 2022, remain active.

She alleges Bingenheimer, using his influence in the Los Angeles music scene, groomed her and assaulted her multiple times starting when she was 13. Bingenheimer, now 78, has denied all wrongdoing.

Kari Krome Abuse Case Set for March 2026

Court documents reveal Bingenheimer has been represented by Hollywood figure Brad Herman, who Krome later named as a co-defendant.

She claims Herman helped Bingenheimer transfer and sell a property in Mountain View, California, to allegedly hide assets from a potential judgment.

The home sold in May 2025 for nearly $1.7 million. Krome alleges the transfers were intended "to hinder, delay, and/or defraud" her.

According to DailyNewsNow, a jury trial for the remainder of Krome's case is set for March 30, 2026. Her attorney has not commented on the conditional settlement or the amended complaint.

Meanwhile, Bingenheimer continues to host a weekly show on SiriusXM's Underground Garage channel.

Herman, whose past controversies include elder abuse allegations involving Marvel creator Stan Lee and former Supremes singer Cindy Birdsong, has denied wrongdoing.

Court documents show the Birdsong case was later withdrawn, avoiding a lengthy trial.