Daughter of Pop Icon Alleges Financial Mismanagement
Paris Jackson, the 27-year-old daughter of the late Michael Jackson, has filed formal legal objections claiming the executors of her father's estate have seriously mismanaged her inheritance. The court documents submitted to Los Angeles court on November 18 reveal startling allegations about how the King of Pop's substantial estate has been handled since his death in 2009.
Michael Jackson passed away at age 50, leaving behind three children: Prince, 28, Paris, 27, and Bigi (formerly known as Blanket), 23. At the time of their father's death, all three were minors, requiring estate executors John Branca and John McClain to manage the complex financial affairs.
Substantial Financial Claims Revealed
The legal filing contains several serious financial allegations. Paris Jackson claims that approximately $464 million (£353m) remains uninvested by the co-executors, generating returns of less than 0.1% due to what she describes as "unproductive investments."
According to the court documents, this money could have generated around $41 million in profits if properly invested. The filing states: "Paris is increasingly concerned the Estate has become the vehicle for John Branca to enrich and aggrandise himself, rather than serve the beneficiaries' best interests and steadfastly preserve her father's legacy."
Perhaps most strikingly, the objection alleges that the executors pocketed over $10 million in compensation during 2021 alone - more than double what any beneficiary received from the family allowance. The total estimated compensation for executors up to 2021 reaches approximately $148.2 million (£113m), which the filing states "dwarfs any amount distributed to Paris or her siblings."
Biopic Investment Raises Concerns
The legal challenge also questions the estate's investment decisions, particularly regarding the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic titled "Michael." Paris Jackson's filing suggests the executors are deliberately delaying final accounting for 2022 through 2025 to keep the estate open "indefinitely" while pursuing high-risk projects.
The biopic has drawn specific criticism, with the objection noting that John Branca cast Miles Teller to play himself in the production despite having no previous experience as an executive producer on feature films. The filing describes this as a "risky" investment given the executors' lack of film industry expertise.
The production will feature Colman Domingo portraying Michael's father, Joe Jackson, adding to the project's high-profile nature.
Estate Pushes Back Against Allegations
Representatives for the Jackson estate have strongly denied the allegations. A source close to the estate told People magazine that Paris Jackson's lawyers recently lost a case against the estate and were ordered to pay the estate's legal expenses.
The estate maintains that "all the beneficiaries are well taken care of" and described Paris's objections as "a weak attempt to change the narrative of their loss." In previous filings, the executors stated that Paris has received approximately $65 million in benefits from her father's estate, claiming she "would have never received that had the Executors followed a typical playbook for an estate like this one in July 2009."
It's worth noting that despite Michael Jackson's legendary career and sold-out tours, he was reportedly $500 million in debt when he died, making the estate's recovery under the executors' management particularly notable.
A spokesperson for Paris Jackson responded to the recent court order, stating: "This order is limited to minor procedural issues and does not change the facts: the pattern of behaviour displayed by the executors and their attorneys raises significant red flags, and Paris will continue working to ensure her family is treated fairly. We will be submitting an updated filing shortly."
The legal battle continues as both sides prepare their next moves in this complex inheritance dispute that involves one of music's most legendary figures.
