Michael Jackson's Estate Reveals ‘Issues' Over One of the Late Pop Star's Ex-Wives in Plea
Us obtained court documents filed by John Branca and John McClain, the two men who have been in charge of Michael's estate since his death on June 25, 2009. He was 50.
Branca and McClain are requesting the court to sign off on fees to law firms that worked on the estate during the timeframe of July to December 2018. The entertainer's probate case is complex and the fees take years to be approved.
In a February 2025 filing, lawyers for Branca and McClain detailed what one of the law firms worked on during the 2018 timeframe.
Katherine Jackson Hits Back at Grandson Bigi in Billion Dollar Battle Over Michael Jackson's Estate
The lawyers explained that some work was done 'addressing issues relating to Michael Jackson's former spouse.' In addition, the firm handled 'addressing a claim made regarding alleged ownership of rights obtained by a bankruptcy proceeding involving Joseph and Katherine Jackson.'
Michael was married to Lisa Marie Presley from 1994 to 1996 and Debbie Rowe, who is the mother to Michael's children, Paris and Prince Jackson, from 1996 to 2000.
The motion said one firm worked on 'extraordinary legal services relating to a wide variety of matters, 'including: family allowance, accounting, one of Michael Jackson's accusers, James Safechuck, a demand from a former manager, tax issues, and various other matters.
Michael Jackson's 'Leaving Neverland' Accusers Want to Hold His Team Accountable in New Documentary
The filing revealed the former manager to be Tohme Tohme, who claimed he was owed over $5 million for services rendered to Michael between 2007 to 2009. The executors disputed the claim. The case was headed to trial in 2018. The parties eventually reached a $3 million settlement.
Other work done included defending a lawsuit brought by music producer Quincy Jones. The executors said the fees requested by the law firms relate 'generally to services rendered in connection with various issues regarding [Jones] not dealing with his lawsuit.'
The executors said other matters included legal issues related to Michael's former home, Neverland Ranch, and meetings with a potential buyer. The ranch, near Santa Barbara, was originally listed for $100 million in 2015. The estate listed it for $31 million in 2019. It did not sell until 2020 when billionaire Ron Burkle purchased it.
As Us first reported, Michael's daughter, Paris, who is a beneficiary of the estate along with her two brothers, Prince and Bigi Jackson, recently objected to a portion of the requested fees. She claimed to have 'serious' questions about the amounts requested.
In her motion, Paris' lawyer argued, 'During this [six-month period] alone in 2018, Executors request that the Court approve $625,000 in payments to three law firms for what they say is uncaptured time, without explanation as to why counsel was incapable of recording unbilled time, or why such a failure should not preclude payment.'
Michael Jackson's Kids and Mom Barred from Trust Fund Payments Until Estate and IRS Settle Dispute
Her attorney added, 'Even worse, these payments appear, at least in part, to consist of lavish gratuities bestowed upon already well-compensated counsel.'
Paris also claimed it appeared payments to law firms were made in 'full,' which she said violated the court's order allowing only 'partial payments of attorney fees until court approval is obtained.'
The estate has yet to respond to the claims. A hearing has been set for later this month.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Conservative expert Heather Mac Donald explains 'lawlessness' cycle amid ICE pushback
Mac Donald explains how anti-ICE riots and protests in California tie to larger cultural developments in the United States.
Geek Tyrant
14 minutes ago
- Geek Tyrant
Chuck E. Cheese Is Growing Up and is Launching Acades For Adults — GeekTyrant
Chuck E. Cheese is no longer just for kids' birthday parties and awkward pizza parties. The iconic animatronic rat and his crew are stepping into the adult world with Chuck's Arcade, a brand-new spinoff designed specifically for grownups. The company is starting with ten Chuck's Arcade locations across the U.S., including St. Petersburg, FL; Trumbull, CT; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, OK; Victor, NY; Buford, GA; El Paso, TX; Nashua and Salem, NH; and St. Louis, MO. Each site is designed to be a nostalgia-fueled, game-heavy hangout spot. This isn't just a half-hearted attempt at reinvention either. Chuck E. Cheese is leaning all the way in. According to the official release, Chuck's Arcade will 'combine classic games and the hottest new games alongside iconic animatronic characters,' and serve as 'a new destination where nostalgia meets the future.' 'Chuck E. Cheese has spent decades mastering the arcade experience — it's in our DNA,' said David McKillips, CEO of Chuck E. Cheese. 'Thanks to the expertise of our talented technicians and the successful transformation of almost 500 fun centers worldwide, we've built the operational and creative foundation to take our brand beyond our traditional four walls. 'Chuck's Arcade is a natural evolution — an opportunity to extend our arcade legacy into new formats that engage both lifelong fans and a new generation through a curated mix of retro classics and cutting-edge experiences.' Each Chuck's Arcade will even be 'overseen' by one of the animatronic band members, and select spots will feature exclusive retro merch, including old-school logo apparel, collectible toys, novelty candy, and prize redemption items. It's part of a bigger strategy to tap into the millennial and Gen Z nostalgia economy. If you grew up feeding tokens into arcade games as a kid while your slice of pizza cooled, Chuck's Arcade wants you back. So, while Chuck E. Cheese may have started as the go-to spot for birthday chaos, it's evolving, just like its audience. Now the question is can an animatronic rat still party when the crowd's ordering craft beer and chasing high scores on a Dance Dance Revolution machine? We're about to find out. Via: Nerdist
New York Times
15 minutes ago
- New York Times
An Accuser's Story Suggests How Trump Might Appear in the Epstein Files
It was the summer of 1996 when Maria Farmer went to law enforcement to complain about Jeffrey Epstein. At the time, she said, she had been sexually assaulted by Mr. Epstein and his longtime partner, Ghislaine Maxwell. Ms. Farmer, then in her mid-20s, had also learned about a troubling encounter that her younger sister — then a teenager — had endured at Mr. Epstein's ranch in New Mexico. And she described facing threats from Mr. Epstein. Ms. Farmer said that when she discussed her concerns with the New York Police Department, then with the F.B.I., she also urged them to take a broader look at the people in Mr. Epstein's orbit, including Donald J. Trump, then still two decades from being elected president. She repeated that message, she said, when the F.B.I. interviewed her again about Mr. Epstein in 2006. In interviews this week about what she told the authorities, she said she had no evidence of criminal wrongdoing by Mr. Epstein's associates. But she said she was alarmed by what she saw as Mr. Epstein's pattern of pursuing girls and young women while building friendships with prominent people, including Mr. Trump and President Bill Clinton. Investigations like the ones that targeted Mr. Epstein often explore a wide range of tips, evidence, recollections and relationships, little of which ends up being used in court records or as the basis for criminal prosecution. Mr. Epstein's voluminous investigative file contains many records that have not been made public, but that became the focus of claims, long stoked by Mr. Trump's allies, that authorities might have covered up the involvement of other rich and powerful men. Now, after his attorney general and F.B.I. director abruptly abandoned their earlier promises to reveal everything about the Epstein files and said, in effect, that there was nothing to see, Mr. Trump's ties to Mr. Epstein are under renewed scrutiny, leading to questions about what so-far-undisclosed appearances he might have in the investigative record. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
