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Paris Jackson demands $600M from father Michael Jackson's estate in legal war with longtime executor
· Confirmed
In Short: Paris Jackson is suing the executor of her father Michael Jackson's estate, demanding $600 million be transferred to a family trust for her and her brothers, citing mismanagement and unfulfilled intentions of her father.
Complex reports that Paris Jackson has filed a petition demanding $600 million from her father Michael Jackson's estate to be transferred to a family trust for her and her brothers, Prince and Bigi. Fox News also covers the lawsuit, noting that the estate's executor, attorney John Branca, has held the position since 2009.
According to Complex, Paris argues that the estate's wealth, which has generated over $2.5 billion in gross earnings, should be distributed to the beneficiaries. Fox News, however, highlights Branca's role in transforming the estate from one burdened by $500 million in debt into a business valued at over $2 billion.
Extra and Extratv report that Paris is taking the estate to court, demanding Branca begin distributing funds to the Michael Jackson Family Trust. They also note that Paris believes the estate should move funds into specific trusts for the children, as her father intended.
The Los Angeles Times adds that Paris is concerned about the estate's financial management, particularly the uninvested cash and high-risk investments. The Times also mentions that the executors have not disclosed accounting for 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025 to date.
Billboard reports that Paris claims the executors have been taking advantage of their roles to enrich themselves, and she wants Branca’s compensation reduced from 15 percent to 10 percent of the estate’s gross entertainment-related income. Fox News counters that the executors have waived compensation from the estate’s beginning.
Complex and Fox News both report that Paris believes the estate's continued retention of all assets is contrary to her father's intent and is not in the best interest of the beneficiaries. However, Fox News notes that the estate is prevented from fully funding the trusts until several legal hurdles are removed.
Law Commentary and Complex report that Paris is asking a Los Angeles judge to order $600 million transferred from the estate into a family trust for her and her brothers. The estate has rejected these claims, citing Branca's role in transforming the estate into a business valued at more than $2 billion.
Thegrio and NBC News report that Paris is raising new concerns about the estate's management, arguing that more than $464 million is being held in cash, generating returns of less than 0.1% due to unproductive investments. Billboard adds that Paris believes the estate could have earned roughly $41 million in profits with more strategic investing.
Entertainment Weekly notes that Paris has offered only defective filings to support the massive payment of fees requested by the executors. The Los Angeles Times reports that Paris believes the estate intends to fund the trusts once its outstanding obligations are settled.
The petition adds that Paris believes the estate's continued retention of all assets is contrary to her father's intent and is not in the best interest of the beneficiaries, some of whom are set to obtain principal distributions upon their approaching thirtieth birthdays.
Democrat Troy Jackson has defeated longtime GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, NBC News projects, padding the Senate majority his party won in the midterm elections.
Background
Paris Jackson is suing the executor of her father Michael Jackson's estate, demanding $600 million be transferred to a family trust.
What's confirmed
- The sole executor of the estate is attorney and manager John Branca, who has held the position since 2009.
- She is taking the estate to court and demanding Branca begin distributing funds to the Michael Jackson Family Trust.
- Paris Jackson is asking a Los Angeles judge to order $600 million transferred from her late father Michael Jackson's estate into a family trust for her and her two brothers, accusing longtime executor John Branca of withholding control over their inheritance more than 17 years after the singer's death.
- The estate has rejected those claims, citing Branca's role in transforming an estate burdened by roughly $500 million in debt into a business it now values at more than $2 billion.
- According to the docs, Paris has also suggested the MJ estate remains open after all these years due to how the executor has been managing things and said she remains largely in the dark about the estate's financial matters... but John fires back that these claims ignore the realities of the situation.
- Paris said John and the recently deceased John McClain were paid over $120 million for their work on the estate over 13 years … which is a far cry from what she says she and her two brothers have received since their dad died.
What's still developing
- "Without belaboring the point, when Paris began challenging the administration of the Estate last year through her objection to Executor Branca’s non-contractual gifts to his colleagues, her challenges were met with scorched earth litigation, public attacks, and a multimillion reduction in monies provided to her and her siblings by the Estate," her legal team wrote.
- The executors for Michael Jackson’s estate began generating liquidity in 2011, including the sale of the singer’s Neverland Ranch in 2020 and the $750-million deal with Sony for intellectual property assets.
- “Plaintiff's attorneys have motioned for a reduction in executor compensation, when in fact the executors waived that from the estate's beginning, and have never taken any executor compensation," the rep told TMZ.
- In the filing, Paris expressed concern with the “enormous sums of cash” that remain uninvested by co-executors John Branca and John McClain, and said she feels as though the pair’s business decisions do not align with the best interests of the estate.
- Collins focused on her independence – she was one of the few Republicans who voted to remove Trump from office after the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol – and attacked Jackson for his federal inexperience and his voting record in the state legislature.
- Jackson’s campaign raised $26.9m, slightly more than the $25.2m for Collins through mid-October.
- CNN called the race for Jackson just after 12:15 a.m.
- Jackson led by 4 points in a CNN/SSRS poll, 49 percent to 45 percent, among 783 likely voters October 20-26.
- 2026 ELECTION COVERAGE: Watch Live | Poll Closing Times | All Live Results | Live Updates | Live Fact Check Democrat Troy Jackson won election Wednesday to the U.S.
- The Associated Press declared Jackson the winner at 1:02 a.m.