Paris Jackson slammed the two executors in charge of her late father Michael Jackson’s estate ... claiming they are bullying her for asking questions about money spent, TMZ has learned.
Paris' claims come after the executors said Paris was “more interested in playing to the media than” working out any issues. According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Paris and her legal team say the executors, John Branca and John McClain, are filing court documents that “mock and belittle” Michael’s only daughter. For their part, Branca and McClain claim Paris and her legal team are spreading incorrect information about the case to the press.
The executors claim that while Paris may claim she doesn't want the case in the press, her media team tried to spin the court's "rather routine actions" at a recent hearing "as some sort of blockbuster ruling by the court in favor of Paris."
As TMZ previously reported, Paris and the executors have been going back and forth about payments made to third-party law firms who worked for the estate ... with Paris questioning the process for handing out huge bonuses and fees.
Branca and McClain have been arguing that their work turned the estate from insolvent to worth billions. They also argue Paris has benefited greatly from their hard work.
Michael Jackson’s estate continues to provide for the late pop star’s kids, including dropping thousands on tuition for his oldest son and tens of thousands for his daughter Paris’ home improvements ... this according to new legal docs filed by the estate.
TMZ obtained the 2022 accounting report submitted by John Branca and John McClain, the two executors who run Michael’s estate.
The executors said 2022 was “another banner year for the estate.” Branca and McClain pointed out the estate launched "MJ: The Musical" on Broadway, which made a ton of money and received acclaim.
The Michael Jackson estate reportedly shelled out millions to cut any mention of child molestation accusations in the end of "Michael" ... and because of it, they now own a stake in the film.
The late singer's estate is estimated to have coughed up between $10M and $15M to complete "necessary" reshoots for the movie, according to Variety.
The publication reports the biopic wasoriginally supposed to explore the impact that child molestation accusations had on Jackson's life ... but now there's not even a mention of the accusations, because of a clause in a settlement with one of Jackson's accusers. Jordan Chandler reportedly barred the mention of him in any movie.
Paris Jackson’s little brother, Blanket "Bigi" Jackson, and his legal team were apparently unsuccessful in their attempt to resolve her bitter battle with their late father’s estate ... TMZ has learned.
According to court docs obtained by TMZ ... Michael’s estate executors, John Branca andJohn McClain, called out Paris for backing out of a deal they say was recently reached between the executors and Jackson's children.
Paris has been fighting the executors over certain payments made by the estate to third-party law firms that she felt were excessive, and has been pushing for a better process in court for approval of such payments. The estate countered that the payments were standard for the industry, and pointed out they have earned the estate billions of dollars.
Paris Jackson slammed the two executors running Michael Jackson’s estate and trashed some of the production decisions behind the upcoming biopic in the process … but a lawyer for the estate scoffed at her complaints and called them “without merit.”
According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Paris has been fighting with John Branca and John McClain -- the principal figures managing MJ’s estate since the pop star died in 2009 -- over financial matters ... and now she's blasting them over the upcoming biopic Michael.
Paris has spoken out about the film in the past, and it seems she is not over her gripes with it. MJ’s daughter says she wishes those involved in the film well, but “that does not change potential concerns” she has with the estate’s involvement. She claims Branca used his position as producer to cast A-list actor Miles Teller to play himself, but questioned the move, saying it's "unclear how this peculiar and presumably costly casting decision will result in commensurate box office receipts."
She also says Branca’s lack of experience producing' films “may be the root of reports that the estate has had to fund tens of millions of dollars in reshoots after the terms of a well-known settlement agreement prevented the production from using substantial amounts of footage already shot.” Paris said she was concerned it was a “botched production on a” 3.5-hour biopic “which the estate has reportedly invested at least some, if not all of the $150 million budget, is troubling, to say the least.”
Paris Jackson turned a courthouse run into a full-blown fashion moment -- and no, this wasn’t some glitzy red carpet … she was heading in for a hearing tied to her late dad Michael Jackson’s estate.
Check out the look -- Paris rocked a burgundy blouse tucked into matching wide-leg trousers, strutting into L.A. court Wednesday morning in skyscraper heels while carrying a matching handbag and clutching her paperwork like a boss.
No doubt about it, she looked phenomenal -- beachy waves cascading down, a bright smile on her face, serving confidence while handling business.
8:10 PM PT -- Attorney Marty Singer tells TMZ ... “This lawsuit is a desperate money grab by additional members of the Cascio family who have hopped on the bandwagon with their brother Frank, who is already being sued in arbitration for civil extortion.
The family staunchly defended Michael Jackson for more than 25 years, attesting to his innocence of inappropriate conduct. This new court filing is a transparent forum-shopping tactic in their scheme to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars from Michael’s estate and companies."
He continues ... "Statements by the Cascios, including those appearing in dozens of passages throughout Frank Cascio’s 2011 book, as well as in interviews with Oprah Winfrey and others, directly contradict what is being alleged now. Throughout, the Cascios consistently and repeatedly asserted that Michael never harmed any of them or anyone else."
Michael Jackson's former family friends, the Cascios, are suing his estate for sexual abuse ... alleging he sex trafficked them.
Edward Cascio, Dominic Cascio, Marie Porte and Aldo Cascio are suing The Michael Jackson Company for sex trafficking children by force, fraud or coercion ... claiming that over the course of a decade he "drugged, raped, and sexually assaulted each of the Plaintiffs, beginning when some of them were as young as seven or eight."
The siblings say Jackson pushed his way into their lives with gifts, access to his celebrity lifestyle and declarations of love ... before isolating each of them from one another and their families and abusing them.
