Michael Jackson’s Estate Accuses Former Friend Of $213 Million “Shakedown” Over Abuse Allegations

Even in death, Michael Jackson can’t escape controversy and now, the late pop star’s longtime friend Frank Cascio is being accused of betraying him in a shocking and expensive way. According to court papers filed on Wednesday in Los Angeles, Michael’s estate is accusing Frank, once a trusted confidant and former manager, of trying to squeeze $213 million from the estate by threatening to go public with new abuse claims. The estate is calling it what it believes to be a calculated “shakedown.”

Frank had once called Michael a “brother” and even wrote a memoir My Friend Michael in 2011, where he defended the singer, saying his love for children was innocent and misunderstood. He made the rounds on Oprah, Wendy Williams, and Primetime Live, always painting himself as someone who knew Michael personally and stood by his innocence.

But everything changed after HBO’s Leaving Neverland aired in 2019. The doc featured Wade Robson and James Safechuck, both of whom accused Jackson of sexually abusing them when they were children. The estate has always rejected those claims as false and money-driven, even suing HBO for airing what they called a “one-sided hit job.”

Now, Jackson’s estate says Frank flipped the script. What started with a casual conversation by the Sunset Marquis hotel pool allegedly turned into threats. The estate claims Frank and his lawyers, including Mark Geragos, a big-name attorney who once represented Michael, demanded money to stay silent.

In 2020, the estate says it reluctantly paid Frank $3.3 million in a confidential agreement to protect Jackson’s legacy and spare his children more pain. That agreement reportedly included a strict rule: if there were any future disputes, they had to be handled privately through arbitration.

But now, according to the estate, Frank is back demanding even more money. First, it was $213 million. Then, that number dropped to $44 million. The estate is asking the court to stop Frank from going public and to force him to settle everything behind closed doors, as agreed.

The lawsuit points out a harsh legal reality: since Michael is no longer alive, he can’t legally be defamed under U.S. law. That loophole, the estate argues, leaves his reputation open to attack by people chasing money.

They believe Frank’s actions are especially painful because of how close he was to Jackson for so many years. “All the years I was close to him, I saw nothing that raised red flags,” Frank once wrote. “Michael may have been eccentric, but that didn’t make him criminal. I want to be precise and clear, on the record, so that everyone can read and understand: Michael’s love for children was innocent.”

Since Michael’s death in 2009, his estate has earned more than $3 billion, making him one of the highest-earning deceased celebrities of all time.