Paris Jackson is demanding greater transparency from her late father Michael Jackson’s estate, specifically questioning significant legal bonuses. In response, the estate has revealed that she has received approximately $65 million in benefits since her father’s passing, intensifying the spotlight on the ongoing management of the iconic pop star’s multi-billion dollar legacy.
The gilded world of pop royalty often comes with its own set of intricate financial challenges, and the estate of the late, legendary Michael Jackson is no exception. His daughter, Paris Jackson, has reportedly initiated a quiet but pointed battle, raising eyebrows over curious accounting practices within her father’s vast empire. At the heart of the dispute are questions surrounding legal “bonuses” and the broad definition of “benefits” she has received.
A Legacy Rebuilt: The Michael Jackson Estate’s Journey
When Michael Jackson passed away in 2009 at the age of 50, his estate was reportedly burdened with over $500 million in debt, according to court documents obtained by People. However, under the stewardship of executors John Branca and John McClain, the estate has undergone a remarkable transformation. A judge previously noted that the executors’ business judgment turned an estate that “started out as nothing but debt and substantial ongoing obligations” into a “$2 billion estate,” which is now a “powerhouse and a force in the music business today.” This monumental turnaround is a key point in the executors’ defense of their management fees and decisions.
The beneficiaries of Michael Jackson’s estate include his daughter Paris, his sons Prince Jackson and Bigi Jackson (formerly Blanket), and his mother, Katherine Jackson.
The ‘Wizard of Oz’ Analogy: Paris Challenges Legal Fees
Paris Jackson’s recent legal filings highlight her contention with approximately $625,000 in “premium payments” made to the estate’s legal teams, which she argues were not properly authorized or explained. Her lawyers assert these were “extra-contractual payments” and “lavish gratuities bestowed upon already well-compensated counsel” for “uncaptured time” that lacked proper documentation. In a pointed legal filing, Paris’s lawyer compared the executors to “the Wizard of Oz,” stating they “demand that the court trust them blindly, refusing to let anyone look behind the curtain,” as reported by Us Weekly.
These objections center on a 2010 court order that allows the executors to pay attorneys without prior court approval, a practice Paris is now seeking to rescind. She argues that her questions are valid and that the executors are not immune from scrutiny.
The Estate’s Counter: $65 Million in Benefits to Paris
In response to Paris’s motion, the estate executors pushed back, revealing in an October 9 court filing that Paris Jackson has received approximately $65 million in “benefits” from her father’s estate since his death in 2009. The estate’s filing states, “Few have benefited more from the Executors’ business judgment than Petitioner herself, who has received roughly $65 million from the Estate in benefits.” They contend that this amount would have been impossible had they followed a “typical playbook” for an estate of its kind in 2009.
The term “benefits” is notably broad, encompassing various forms of financial support. While the exact breakdown isn’t fully detailed in public filings, earlier reports from 2021 shed some light on Paris’s direct allowances and expenses covered by the estate. For instance, in 2021 alone, Paris received allowance payments totaling $3,273,681, along with an additional $10,000 for home construction. Her expenses that year included:
- Tens of thousands in legal fees
- 12 months of rent payments
- $26,000 to a travel company
- Hundreds of thousands in taxes due
- Payments to production company Freenjoy for her music video “Let Down”
- $450 for acting classes at Nancy Bank Studio, supporting her career in projects like American Horror Story and the film Habit.
The executors argue that the disputed bonuses, amounting to around $600,000, are a minimal figure compared to the estate’s earnings, which reached almost $300 million in 2018 alone. They highlight their success, including a more than $287 million return on the EMI investment, as justification for compensating a “world-class legal team” for “extraordinary services and results.”
Broader Estate Finances and Future Hearings
Beyond Paris, the estate also supports Prince Jackson and Bigi Jackson. In 2021, Bigi, at 23, received an allowance of over $1 million, with the estate covering his bills, tuition, and even purchasing and later renting a residence for him. Katherine Jackson also received over $1 million for legal fees and significant construction costs. The estate’s substantial assets, totaling over $788 million, include various companies, a car collection, cash, stocks, and the homes of the beneficiaries.
The legal tussle is not heading to a courtroom showdown yet, but the paper trail is growing. The estate’s attorney, Jonathan Steinsapir, has confidently stated that the executors welcome review of their actions and are confident the court will approve their accountings, as it has done numerous times over the past sixteen years. The next court hearing in this ongoing case is scheduled for Thursday, October 16.
