Paris Jackson Seeks $600 Million Transfer from Michael Jackson Estate to Family Trust

Paris Jackson is asking a Los Angeles judge to order a partial distribution of her late father Michael Jackson’s estate assets to the Michael Jackson Family Trust, according to court documents filed Oct. 29.

The Petition and Allegations

In the filing, Jackson is seeking a $600 million transfer to a trust intended to benefit her and her two brothers, Prince Jackson, 29, and Bigi Jackson, 24. Paris argues that the trust has remained unfunded for more than 17 years, despite the estate generating significant money through major business deals.

According to the petition, the estate has generated more than $1 billion in cash before taxes and expenses through several transactions, including:

• The 2018 sale of the estate’s interest in EMI Music Publishing for $287.5 million.
• The 2020 sale of Neverland Ranch for $22 million.
• A 2023 deal with Sony involving music and other intellectual-property assets.

Paris’ attorneys allege that the estate's remaining executor, John Branca, maintains an "iron grip" over the beneficiaries, and claims that the siblings receive "lesser amounts dictated by the remaining Executor, who uses this power to deter them from checking his abuses."

The Estate's Position

The Michael Jackson Estate has denied allegations of withholding or reducing payments to the beneficiaries, calling the claim "a complete fabrication." The estate stated that more than $200 million has already been distributed for the benefit of the children.

Representatives for the estate said it cannot fully fund the trusts until several legal matters are resolved, including ongoing litigation with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS had previously sought $700 million in taxes and penalties. While the estate said it secured a ruling to "significantly reduce that amount," the matter has not been settled.

Furthermore, the estate noted that, under Michael Jackson's will, "None of his children receive a distribution until they are in their 30s."

Ongoing Legal Disputes

The request follows other legal actions involving the estate. In May, a Los Angeles judge ruled that $625,000 in bonus payments made by the estate’s executors to outside law firms in 2018 must be returned to the estate.

Additionally, Paris has challenged approximately $109.2 million in combined compensation associated with John Branca, his lawyers, and the late co-executor John McClain for the years 2023 and 2024. A judge is scheduled to hear Paris' current request on Dec. 4.

Why it matters

The outcome of the upcoming hearing will determine whether a substantial portion of the estate's assets is moved into the family trust while other legal and tax disputes remain unresolved.

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Sources

• people.com: Paris Jackson Seeks $600 Million from Michael Jackson Estate to Her Family Trust
• latimes.com: Paris Jackson seeks $600 million of Michael Jackson's estate for self, brothers - Los Angeles Times
• globalnews.ca: Paris Jackson seeks $600M from Michael Jackson estate to fund family trust - National | Globalnews.ca
• eonline.com: Paris Jackson Asks Michael Jackson’s Estate for $600 Million Trust
• billboard.com: Michael Jackson Daughter Paris Demands $600M From Estate Put in Trust
• hola.com: Paris Jackson requests $600 million from Michael Jackson's Estate: Star claims family trust has not received a penny for over 17 years

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