Michael Jackson’s former defender accused of trying to extort money with new claims

More than a decade after Michael Jackson’s passing in 2009, his name continues to make headlines, this time involving someone who once stood firmly by his side. Frank Cascio, a longtime friend and former music manager of the late pop star, is now at the center of a major legal dispute with Michael Jackson’s estate.

Once known for defending Michael Jackson during some of his most turbulent moments, Cascio is now accused of a shocking turnaround. Court documents filed in Los Angeles allege that Cascio tried to extort $213 million from the estate and that he threatened to go public with fabricated abuse claims if his demands were not met.

Michael Jackson Estate Files Court Petition Alleging Extortion

The legal petition, obtained by several outlets, claims Cascio shifted from being a loyal supporter to someone trying to cash in on the ongoing controversy surrounding Jackson. The Jackson estate argues that Cascio, who publicly defended Michael Jackson in interviews and even authored a 2011 memoir titled My Friend Michael, is now using that insider access as leverage in what they describe as a calculated scheme.

Things reportedly took a turn after the release of Leaving Neverland in 2019, the documentary that reignited abuse allegations against Jackson. In the wake of the film’s impact, the estate alleges Cascio approached them, initially at a hotel pool, and began demanding money to remain silent about new allegations.

According to the estate, a confidential $3.3 million settlement was reached in 2020, not as an admission of guilt, but to protect Jackson’s children and preserve his legacy from further damage. That agreement also included an arbitration clause, meaning any disputes had to be resolved privately. However, the estate claims that Cascio violated that clause by returning with a new demand: $213 million, later reduced to $44 million.

The estate’s latest filing aims to compel arbitration and shut down what they call a “shakedown.” They claim Cascio’s legal team, which includes attorney Mark Geragos (who once represented Jackson), is threatening to make the claims public unless they're paid again.

The situation has caught attention online. Casico, a man who once said Jackson’s love for children was “innocent,” now stands accused of flipping his stance for money. Cascio had appeared on Oprah, Primetime Live, and The Wendy Williams Show defending Jackson in the past. The estate believes his change in narrative is purely opportunistic, pointing out that no defamation laws exist to protect someone deceased, making Michael Jackson an easy target.

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Meanwhile, Jackson’s children, Prince, Paris, and Bigi, continue to face the ripple effects of past allegations and controversies surrounding their late father, even as the estate works to preserve his legacy. The estate insists all claims of abuse are false and has fought back in court consistently over the years.

Whether this latest legal fight will be resolved quietly or spill further into the public eye remains to be seen.

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