Paris Jackson seeks $600 million from Michael Jackson estate

Paris Jackson has filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court seeking a preliminary transfer of $600 million, or another amount deemed fit, from her father's estate to the Michael Jackson Family Trust.

Allegations of Unfunded Trust

In the court filing, Jackson alleged that the executors of Michael Jackson's estate have failed to fulfill the singer's wishes for his three children—Prince, Paris, and Bigi—to receive money through their family trust. Jackson stated, “Michael Jackson’s family trust remains unfunded,” and alleged that executors said in 2011 they would file a petition to begin funding the trust, but no such petition has been filed.

Jackson further alleged that the executors use their power to "deter them from checking his abuses" and accused them of meeting previous legal challenges with "scorched earth litigation, public attacks, and a multimillion reduction" in money for her and her siblings. Additionally, Jackson accused remaining executor John Branca of "incompetence," alleging that "Branca sought $109,219,648 in combined compensation for himself, his lawyers, and his late co-executor, John McClain, who died in May at age 71."

Estate Response and Financial Status

The estate issued a statement saying it cannot "fully" fund the trust until "several legal matters are resolved," including litigation with the Internal Revenue Service. The estate stated, “The Estate was able to secure a ruling to significantly reduce that amount, but the matter has not been settled and could still change,” and denied allegations of holding back or reducing payments to the three children.

According to the petition, the executors have claimed the overall value of the estate is between $2 billion and $3 billion. The estate has generated liquidity since 2011, including the 2020 sale of Neverland Ranch and a $750-million deal with Sony for intellectual property assets.

Historical Internal Disputes

Leaked emails allegedly sent by Michael Jackson's former manager, Frank DiLeo, in 2011 reveal past disputes between DiLeo and co-executor John McClain regarding posthumous projects. In one email, DiLeo claimed McClain "created total havoc in standing in the way of the marketing plan for ‘Michael’ by not letting anyone hear the record."

Why it matters

Jackson is seeking the court's help to secure funds for herself and her two brothers. The next hearing for this case is scheduled for Wednesday.

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Sources

• latimes.com: Paris Jackson seeks $600 million from MJ estate for herself, brothers - Los Angeles Times
• pagesix.com: Leaked emails reveal heated battle between Michael Jackson's former manager and co-executor over posthumous projects

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.