Jackson Family

Michael Jackson's Estate is suing a movie memorabilia store for auctioning off historic photos from MJ's heyday -- and duping potential buyers with a get-rich-quick scheme.

The pics are from the Jackson brothers' 1984 Victory Tour. According to court docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Michael hired a photog to shoot the concerts ... and Jackson's company owned all the rights to the pictures.

The Estate claims Premiere Props put the photos up for auction, and misled buyers into believing they would also own copyright on the pics -- a huge selling point, because the buyer could make a fortune by reprinting and selling the pics.

Premiere valued the pics from $200 to over $2K, according to its website.

One irate Michael Jackson fan is suing his Estate because she thinks MJ was not the lead singer on 3 of his songs on the 2010 CD, "Michael" ... the first release after his death.

The woman filed the suit today in L.A. claiming she bought the disc in 2011, but didn't hear enough Michael on 3 particular tracks.

In the suit she claims she hired an audio expert to analyze her CD and he determined it was very likely that MJ did not sing lead vocals on "Breaking News" ... "Monster" ... and "Keep Your Head Up."

The woman wants this to be a class action -- meaning if the allegation is true the Estate would owe money to everyone who bought the full album, or any of the 3 tracks in question.

Michael Jackson and Justin Bieber would've been tight ... so says Jermaine Jackson ... but he also thinks MJ would have put the Biebs in his place.

Our photog spotted Jermaine at LAX yesterday, and he told us he thought MJ and Biebs would have probably made some music together, but more importantly ... Michael would have "spoken to him like a father figure."

Interesting insight ... if you can strip away the fact that MJ hanging around a 14-year-old Bieber could be viewed (certainly in hindsight) as SUPER creepy.

17-year-old Michael Jackson fan Brett Nichols didn't just win his school's talent show with his MJ routine ... he caught the eye of MJ's estate ... who have invited the kid to Las Vegas for a show ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for the Jackson estate tells TMZ ... the executors saw Nichols' impressive performance and were blown away ... so they put together a package to send to Nichols to show how much they liked his act.

The rep says they sent Nichols the new MJ album "Xscape" (no iTunes cards?) and an invitation for Brett and his family (mom, dad and sister) to all attend a performance of Michael Jackson ONE in Las Vegas.

We're told they contacted Nichols' principal, who in turn told Nichols and his family this afternoon ... who were predictably beyond excited.

Much better than some stupid trophy.

For a few minutes at a small high school in the middle of California, Michael Jackson was resurrected ... in the form of a skinny, redheaded white teenager.

It all went down last Friday at Pitman High School in Turlock, CA ... located near Modesto. 17-year-old Brett Nichols stole the show with his MJ routine ... set of course to "Billie Jean."

We're told 60 different acts auditioned to take part in the show, but only nine got to actually perform for the school. Nichols walked away with the championship and got to take home the school's Pitman’s Got Talent Rally trophy.

Jermaine Jackson doesn't need a hot bikini model to promote his new water company -- 'cause the Jackson 5 singer has his 84-year old mother to do the job.

Jermaine's company, Vita Water had a media event yesterday at Whole Foods in Tarzana ... and for some reason he brought Katherine Jackson along to help shill the drinks.

1) Katherine is too old to be posing for photo opps and handing out free samples.

2) Isn't she supposed to be watching MJ's kids?!?

Michael Jackson's new album could cause a whole new rift in the Jackson family -- Jermaine told us he was against it ... but brother Jackie says he's so excited about the new cd, it made him cry.

Jackie tells TMZ he's listened to the entire cd and thinks producer L.A. Reid "hit it right on the head," adding, "It brought tears to my eyes to see that they felt Michael was in the room when they made the record."

Jackie says he loves "Xscape" so much, he went out and bought copies for himself and friends.

The lawyer for the latest Michael Jackson sexual molestation accuser is coming out swinging ... telling TMZ the pop star routinely made the young boy skip school so he could be "available" to MJ.

James Safechuck's lawyer, Maryann Marzano, tells TMZ ... MJ publicly flaunted his relationship with the boy, making it appear they were best friends and Safechuck was Michael's protege. The lawyer says in reality MJ was privately molesting the kid.

As TMZ previously reported, James Safechuck (who appeared alongside MJ in a 1987 Pepsi commercial) is accusing Jackson of years of sexual abuse. MJ estate attorney Howard Weitzman has called the allegations "false and scurrilous."

Marzano says a "narcissistic" MJ would prevent Safechuck from going to school as a 10 and 11-year-old so the boy could be available to him when he was on tour.

Marzano tells TMZ, "If there is still any question about the predatory nature of Michael Jackson’s so-called ‘friendships’ with young boys, it should be laid to rest by the indisputable facts of what Michael did to James Safechuck."

10:00 A.M. PDT -- Howard Weitzman -- attorney for Jackson's estate -- tells TMZ Safechuck has denied many times over the past 25 years that Michael ever did anything inappropriate to him ... but is "now demanding money from Michael's Estate by claiming he suddenly recalls life differently." Weitzman says Michael is no longer able to defend himself, but "we believe these false and scurrilous allegations will not prevail."

A new sexual molestation claim has been filed against the estate of Michael Jackson by a man who claims the singer sexually abused him from the time he was 10 until he was around 15 ... this according to a new report.

This latest claim was added on to the lawsuit filed by Wade Robson last year, so says The Daily Beast. The filing is sealed, but the site reports the claims are being made by James Safechuck, who appeared as a child alongside Jackson in a 1987 commercial for Pepsi (see below).

According to the report, Safechuck had long denied being sexually abused by Jackson, but decided to come forward after Robson made his claims public.

There were rumors about Jackson's relationship with Safechuck in the late 80s ... the singer was often seen with the young boy following their commercial together ... including the opening performance of "The Phantom of the Opera" with Liza Minnelli (see above).

The Estate has already objected to Robson's claim because it was both suspicious and filed too late.

Jermaine Jackson does not like the idea of new Michael Jackson music being released, but says it would have been cool if the Jackson 5 had worked on it.

JJ went from guarded to bitter when we asked him about the new MJ music Saturday afternoon in Calabasas. He says he's only heard one of the songs so far ... and thought it was good.

But overall, he's against the idea of MJ's music being released without MJ around ... noting the estate passed over the Jackson 5 to work with producers like Timbaland.

Tito Jackson calmly and coolly defended his brother Jermaine, who told TMZ earlier in the week, "If it wasn't for the Jackson 5, there would be no Michael Jackson."

Tito told our photog in Calabasas Friday ... Jermaine was misunderstood, and he explains why.

Tito also bristled at Debbie Rowe's comment to us ... the Jackson 4 are all bad influences on Michael's kids.

No "Thriller" ... no "Beat It" ... no King of Pop -- Michael Jackson would have missed out on all of that ... and so would the world if the Jackson 5 didn't make MJ such a star.

At least that's Jermaine Jackson's take ... and who's gonna argue with him? Besides everyone.

Jermaine Jackson is reeling over Debbie Rowe's comment that Michael Jackson told her his brothers were talentless .... saying Michael owes his fame to his older siblings.

Jermaine was blunt in Calabasas Monday, telling TMZ, "If it wasn't for the Jackson 5 there would be no Michael Jackson," adding, "That's what gave him the launching pad to become what he became."

You have to watch the whole video. It's shocking.

Jermaine also addresses Debbie's claims he's using MJ's kids to mooch off the estate.

Jermaine suggests he doesn't need the MJ estate's money because he made a fortune with the Jackson 5 -- tell that to the baby mama who's been hunting him down for child support for years.

Michael Jackson's brothers are refusing to allow Debbie Rowe to wrestle guardianship of Prince and Paris from the kids' grandma -- at least if they can help it -- telling TMZ, Debbie abandoned her kids for cash after they were born ... and hasn't cared about them since.

Tito, Randy, Jermaine, and Jackie tell us, "[The children] are well loved and well taken care of. We are quite taken back [sic] that Ms. Rowe has decided now to enter their lives, after she abandoned her children many years ago for money."

The brothers are referring to Debbie agreeing to give MJ full custody of Prince and Paris after giving birth to them ... in exchange for a lump sum of money.

The brothers insist the Jackson family -- Katherine included -- wants only the best for Prince and Paris, adding, "Our only desire is to see our niece and nephews continue to go on with happy, healthy and safe lives. We will do everything and anything with in our power to help make that happen."

Debbie Rowe will wage legal war to get guardianship of the 2 kids she had with Michael Jackson ... and if she could she'd gladly take all 3.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Rowe is deeply concerned about the environment in the Jackson home. She likes Katherine Jackson but believes she has gotten way too old to serve as guardian ... "Katherine's not connected with the kids or involved in their lives" Rowe told a friend.

Rowe is also concerned Michael's brothers are hanging around the Calabasas house a lot and have been a terrible influence. She's complained Prince has developed a filthy mouth and is rebellious because no one is even trying to keep him in line.

Rowe is especially upset with Jermaine, who will appear on "Celebrity Wife Swap." Rowe thinks he's just plain creepy and extremely inappropriate, and wants him as far away from the kids as possible.

She feels Blanket --- the 12-year-old who is not her biological kid -- is actually the most vulnerable and most in danger.

As for Paris ... Rowe fears she's not made the kind of improvement which is necessary after her suicide attempt and wants control so she can take steps to ensure her safety.

TJ Jackson is a co-guardian ... we're told Rowe likes him but is worried that he's been on tour and away from the kids for long stretches.

Rowe will file legal docs asking the judge to appoint her guardian so she can move the children to her ranch in Palmdale CA, where she has a business raising and breeding horses.

Fact is ... Rowe has not asked the Estate for money and our sources say she's not interested in a payday. She wants the kids because she loves them and fears for their well-being.

It looked like a Jackson 5 reunion ... when a Michael Jackson impersonator got together with 4 Jackson brothers Saturday at their concert in Vegas -- but it cost him a pretty penny.

Carlo Riley -- an MJ tribute artist -- tells TMZ he finally got to meet Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and Jackie at their Planet Hollywood show ... but he had to pay for the privilege.

Riley says he flew to Vegas from Denver and dropped $400 dollars for a VIP package that included front row seats, an autographed program and a backstage meet-and-greet with the Jacksons.

Carlo tells us the backstage visit was quick ... he shook hands with the brothers who told him they were impressed by how much he looks like their brother. And during the show, he says the Jacksons pointed to him in the front row ... where he was dancing and taking photos with other fans.

Pretty cool ... but it still can't compare to the time he met Michael himself in Japan in 2007.