On the day that the heavily promoted and controversial Michael biopic debuts, more accusations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate encounters with young boys and a young girl have emerged against the deceased self-declared King of Pop.
Claiming that Michael Jackson was “constantly under the influence of drugs and frequently intoxicated,” a February lawsuit from the Cascio siblings, a trio of now adult brothers and their sister, says the previously accused and aquitted Thriller singer and his estate victimized them and played them for fools.
“Michael Jackson was a serial child predator who, over the course of more than a decade, drugged, raped and sexually assaulted each of the Plaintiffs, beginning when some of them were as young as seven or eight,” the sex trafficking and fraud filing in federal court earlier this year alleges, revealing years of multi-million dollar payoffs that dried up in 2025. “Jackson’s attacks on these siblings went on for extended periods, including in locations around the world and when Jackson and his children were guests in Plaintiffs’ family home.”
“Plaintiffs reject the Jackson Estate’s morally bankrupt efforts to control and silence them,” the February 27 filing proclaims against an estate that has faced more than few legal challenges over the years, including from Paris Jackson. Noting “a deceptive and unconscionable document that the Jackson Estate created to attempt to prohibit Plaintiffs from talking about the years of abuse they endured,” in the fallout from HBO‘s hard hitting and disturbing Leaving Nevermind documentary, the jury trial-seeking complaint adds that “Plaintiffs bring this action to hold the Michael Jackson Estate, its affiliates, and the persons who control or work on their behalf, accountable for Jackson’s conduct and their own wrongdoing.”
Representing the Jackson estate and its executors John Branca and John McLain, attorney Marty Singer decries the suit and the claims as a “desperate money grab” by a family that actually sat down with Oprah in 2010 to praise Jackson. Citing hypocrisy, Singer adds: “The family staunchly defended Michael Jackson for more than 25 years, attesting to his innocence of inappropriate conduct. This new court filing is a transparent forum-shopping tactic in their scheme to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars from Michael’s estate and companies.”
In fact, with more recent demands for up to $213 million according to the estate, Branca and McLain in 2019 did agree to pay the five Cascio siblings $2.8 million each over five years.
These latest allegations against Jackson, who died in 2009 on the eve of a comeback tour, first appeared in the New York Times today. But, if you square all this as being a staged move to derail the almost certain box office success this weekend of the Blanca and Graham King produced, Antoine Fuqua directed and starring Jaafer Jackson (yes, MJ’s nephew) Michael, you might want to think again.
Back on April 17, Singer filed a motion with the court here in California to have the lurid and sordid accusations in what was called “an extortion scheme” taken behind closed doors into arbitration.
“The lawsuit brought on behalf of Plaintiffs Edward Joseph Cascio, Dominic Savini Cascio, Marie-Nicole Porte and Aldo Cascio (collectively “Plaintiffs”) is not a legitimate attempt to adjudicate new claims—it is a transparent effort to evade a binding arbitration agreement they freely negotiated, accepted, and from which they received substantial benefits,” the 31-page motion says. “On or about January 10, 2020, in exchange for multimillions of dollars in financial consideration1 and sweeping releases, Plaintiffs, together with their brother Frank Cascio (“Frank”)2 and other members of the Cascio family entered into a comprehensive Acquisition and Consulting Agreement with Defendant The Michael Jackson Company, LLC3 (the “Agreement”)4 requiring that ‘any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to’ the Agreement— including disputes over arbitrability itself—must be resolved exclusively in arbitration.”
“The Agreement is enforceable.”
The arbitration motion is set to be argued in front of Judge Hernan D. Vera on June 4.
Jackson had faced sexual abuse allegations dating back to 1993 when he was investigated following accusations by then 13-year-old Jordan Chandler.
No criminal charges were filed because the main accuser refused to testify in criminal court. Consistently proclaiming his innocence, Jackson settled a civil suit with Chandler the following year for an estimated $23 million to $25 million. In 2005, Jackson was charged with 10 counts, including child molestation, intoxicating a minor with alcohol, and conspiracy, involvingn 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo. Following a high-profile 14-week trial, Jackson was found not guilty on all counts. There have been claims over the years that accusers were paid millions to renege on their allegations or keep them out of the public eye.
Meanwhile, Jackson’s daughter, Paris Jackson, has been involved in an ongoing legal battle with the executors of the Michael Jackson estate Branca and McClain, alleging financial mismanagement, excessive fees and self-serving bonus payments. Branca and McClain deny the claims and the parties are awaiting a mediator’s ruling.
Jaafer Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’
Lionsgate/Everett Collection
The legal clash also involves disagreements over the management of high-profile projects, including the just-released biopic Michael, which is currently heading toward an $85 million U.S. opening.
