Content Advisory: This article discusses allegations involving minors and related legal proceedings. Reader discretion is advised.
As the heavily promoted biopic ‘Michael’ debuts in theaters, new attention has turned to a February lawsuit from members of the Cascio family, who accused Michael Jackson and his estate of serious sexual misconduct, fraud, and efforts to silence them.
The lawsuit was filed by four now-adult siblings: Frank, Dominic, Marie-Nicole, and Aldo Cascio. In the complaint, they claim Jackson harmed them over several years, beginning when some were children. The estate denies the allegations and has called the case a money-driven legal move.
Jackson, who died in 2009, denied allegations involving minors during his lifetime. He was acquitted on all counts in a 2005 criminal trial.
Cascio Siblings Accuse Estate Of Trying To Silence Them
The lawsuit claims Jackson was “constantly under the influence of drugs and frequently intoxicated” and accuses the estate of creating documents meant to stop the siblings from speaking publicly. “Plaintiffs reject the Jackson Estate’s morally bankrupt efforts to control and silence them,” the filing says.
The complaint also claims the estate used “a deceptive and unconscionable document” to prevent them from discussing what they say happened after renewed public scrutiny followed HBO’s 2019 documentary ‘Leaving Neverland.’ The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and aims to hold the estate, its affiliates, and people working on its behalf accountable.
The estate’s attorney, Marty Singer, strongly rejected the claims.
Singer called the lawsuit a “desperate money grab” and accused the family of reversing decades of public support for Jackson. He said the family had defended Jackson for more than 25 years and claimed the new filing is part of a push to obtain “hundreds of millions of dollars” from the estate and its companies.
Estate Wants The Case Sent To Arbitration
The estate is also trying to move the dispute out of public court.
On April 17, Singer filed a motion in California asking that the case be sent to arbitration. The filing argues that the Cascio siblings previously entered into an agreement with the Michael Jackson Company in 2020 that required disputes to be handled privately.
According to the estate, John Branca and John McClain agreed in 2019 to pay five Cascio siblings $2.8 million each over five years. The estate says the current lawsuit violates the terms of that agreement. “The Agreement is enforceable,” the estate’s motion says.
The arbitration motion is scheduled to be argued before Judge Hernan D. Vera on June 4.
The Biopic Arrives Under Heavy Legal Shadow
Jackson faced allegations involving minors dating back to 1993, when Jordan Chandler accused him of misconduct. Jackson denied the claims and later settled a civil lawsuit with Chandler’s family for an estimated $23 million to $25 million. No criminal charges were filed in that case.
In 2005, Jackson was tried on charges involving Gavin Arvizo. After a 14-week trial, he was found not guilty on all counts.
Now, the new allegations arrive as ‘Michael,’ directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, heads toward a reported $85 million U.S. opening.
The estate is also facing a separate legal dispute with Paris Jackson, who has accused the estate’s executors, Branca and McClain, of financial mismanagement, excessive fees, and self-serving bonus payments. They deny the claims.
For the estate, the movie may bring a major box office win. The legal fight around Jackson’s legacy is clearly not slowing down.
