Michael Jackson's heirs have secretly paid $2.5 million to put an end to allegations of sexual abuse made by five members of the Cascio family, longtime friends of the singer. This was revealed by the Financial Timeswho managed to get hold of checks and confidential correspondence, where the payment would be the last tranche of a total $16.5 million settlement reached in 2020, which however is at the center of a new legal dispute.
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The Cascios, in fact, claim to have been forced to sign the agreement without fully understanding its terms. And they accuse the heirs of having manipulated them and deprived them of adequate legal assistance. The pop star's lawyers, however, define the accusations as “false and defamatory”, adding that it is “an attempt at extortion”, and asking that the matter remain confined to private arbitration provided for in the original agreement.
The legal battle comes, not surprisingly, at a crucial moment for the management of the assets left by Jackson. On November 6, the Los Angeles Superior Court will decide whether the case can go to trial or must remain confidential. In the background, a 155 million dollar investment regarding the biopic Michaelproduced by Lionsgate and Universal, expected in theaters in April and accompanied by a massive advertising campaign.
After the King of Pop's death in 2009, co-executors John Branca and John McClain regenerated an estate that, until then, was submerged in debt, generating over $3 billion in new income and attempting to clean up their client's reputation. But the accusations, rekindled by the documentary HBO of 2019, continue to undermine his memory. «After Leaving Neverland we survived, but other accusations destroy everything»Branca admitted to Financial Times. And today, fifteen years after Michael Jackson's death, the richest legacy in the history of music is still tied to lawsuits.
