Paris Jackson doesn’t trust the people in charge of her father’s estate, claiming in a new legal filing that the executors are short-changing his beneficiaries.
She has been in a legal battle with the estate over proceeds from her late father’s postmortem earnings since the summer. Last month, a filing revealed that she’s so far received $65 million from the estate, but now, Paris is telling an L.A. court that she’s “concerned” about how the King of Pop’s money is being managed.
This week, she alleged the executors—John Branca and John McClain—made $148 million in the run-up to 2021, at which point they pocketed another $10 million that year alone.
Paris is one of the late pop star’s three children, which includes brothers Bigi and Prince. Jackson’s children were 12, 11, and 7 years old when he died in 2009.
Michael Jackson’s three children were 12, 11, and 7 years old when he died in 2009. Dave Benett/Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty I
Paris, now 27, also alleges the estate’s co-executors haven’t properly invested $464 million of the money, resulting in a $41 million loss.
A source close to the estate told People, “This is another misguided attempt by Paris Jackson’s attorneys to provide themselves cover. The fact is, Paris Jackson’s lawyers lost their latest case against the Estate and have been ordered to pay the Estate’s attorneys’ expenses. All the beneficiaries are well taken care of by the Estate. This is a weak attempt to change the narrative of their loss.”
Paris Jackson has been battling her father’s estate for months. Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
Still, in Jackson’s latest filing, she insists she’s “increasingly concerned the Estate has become the vehicle for John Branca to enrich and aggrandize himself, rather than serve the beneficiaries’ best interests and steadfastly preserve her father’s legacy.”
Michael Jackson performs in concert circa 1986. Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Jackson also claims the estate engages in “risky” investments, including the new Lionsgate biopic, Michael. While actor Colman Domingo, who stars in the film as Jackson’s father, said that Paris Jackson was “very much in support of our film,” Jackson responded on Instagram, “Don’t be telling people I was ‘helpful’ on the set of a movie I had zero per cent involvement in lol that is so weird.”
“I read one of the first drafts of the script and gave my notes about what was dishonest / didn’t sit right with me, and when they didn’t address it, I moved on with my life,” she added.
Though the model and singer said fans of her father should “go see” and “enjoy” the movie, she also said it contains “inaccuracies” and “full-blown lies.” She vowed to continue defending her family in the ways she can, per a spokesperson who told the Daily Mail of her latest court filing, “This order is limited to minor procedural issues and does not change the facts.”
“The pattern of behaviour displayed by the executors and their attorneys raises significant red flags,” the spokesperson added, “and Paris will continue working to ensure her family is treated fairly.”