Michael Jackson accused of child sex trafficking in new lawsuit
Michael Jackson Accused of Child Sex Trafficking in New Lawsuit
New Legal Claims Against the Late Pop Star
Four siblings, longtime friends of Michael Jackson, have launched a fresh lawsuit alleging the singer was a “serial child predator” who targeted them when they were as young as seven or eight. The complaint, filed last week in California, asserts that Jackson “drugged, raped, and sexually assaulted each of the plaintiffs” over a span of more than a decade. The plaintiffs, Edward, Dominic, and Aldo Cascio, along with their sister Marie-Nicole Porte, met Jackson through their father, who worked at a hotel frequented by the pop star. The lawsuit names the Michael Jackson Co. and related entities as defendants.
“Plaintiffs reject the Jackson Estate’s morally bankrupt efforts to control and silence them,” stated plaintiffs’ attorney Howard King in the federal filing. “This action seeks to hold the Michael Jackson Estate, its affiliates, and individuals associated with its operations accountable for Jackson’s conduct and their own complicity.”
Defense Claims the Lawsuit is a “Money Grab”
Entertainment attorney Martin Singer, representing the Jackson estate, dismissed the lawsuit as a “desperate money grab” and a “transparent forum-shopping tactic.” He highlighted that Edward Cascio’s 2011 memoir, “My Friend Michael: An Ordinary Friendship with an Extraordinary Man,” included family statements affirming Jackson’s innocence. Additionally, Singer cited a 2010 Oprah interview where Edward, Frank, and Marie-Nicole Cascio all confirmed Jackson never harmed them. “These shakedown attempts come over 15 years after Michael’s death,” Singer noted, “so they carry no risk of defamation lawsuits. In death, as in life, his legacy continues to draw accusations.”
2019 Documentary Sparked New Allegations
According to the complaint, the siblings were “deprogrammed” by the 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland,” which revealed Jackson’s abuse. The lawsuit claims that prior to this, Jackson’s influence had kept the plaintiffs from seeking help. The Jackson Estate had previously offered the family $690,000 in 2019 as compensation for the alleged abuse, though the plaintiffs signed the agreement without legal review. “Had they understood the full implications, they would not have accepted it,” King wrote.
Previous Trial and Jackson’s Death
In 2005, Jackson was acquitted of all charges related to the 2003 molestation of a 13-year-old cancer survivor at Neverland. The case concluded with a jury finding him not guilty. Jackson passed away on June 25, 2009, at age 50, due to acute propofol intoxication. His personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the incident. The new lawsuit aims to challenge the estate’s continued defense of Jackson’s actions.
