Home / Crime and Justice / Cascio Siblings Allege Abuse by Michael Jackson, Seek to Void $213M Settlement
Cascio Siblings Allege Abuse by Michael Jackson, Seek to Void $213M Settlement
8 Nov
Summary
- Cascio siblings claim they were abused by Michael Jackson as children
- Signed $213M settlement with Jackson estate in 2019, now seek to void it
- Estate accused of exploiting siblings' "confusion and vulnerability" to extract silence
In a bitter legal battle, the Cascio siblings are seeking to void a $213 million settlement they reached with the Michael Jackson estate in 2019. The siblings, who were once considered a "second family" to the late pop star, now claim they were abused by Jackson across "hundreds of instances" during their childhoods.
According to the Cascios, the 2019 settlement was reached under duress, with the estate "exploiting their confusion and vulnerability" and pressuring them to sign without their own legal counsel. The estate, however, denies these allegations, arguing the deal was "extensively negotiated" and "voluntarily executed."
The dispute stems from the 2019 HBO documentary "Leaving Neverland," which amplified child sex abuse claims against Jackson. The Cascio siblings say the film led them to reflect and reveal their own experiences of abuse for the first time. The estate, meanwhile, has dismissed the Cascios' allegations as fabricated, accusing them of seeking to "cash in on the cultural moment."
Regardless of the validity of the claims, the Cascios' decision to challenge the 2019 settlement has reignited the long-running controversy surrounding Jackson's legacy. As the legal battle continues, the estate remains focused on monetizing the King of Pop's intellectual property, with a new Michael Jackson biopic slated for release in 2026.
