Michael Jackson's estate claimed in legal filings on Thursday (March 21) that his mother, Katherine Jackson, has received more than $55 million since the singer's death — a revelation that came during a heated dispute between the estate's executors and Jackson Sr.
New deposits, obtained paintingwas intended to prove that the property itself should not pay Katherine's recent legal bills, which stem from her efforts to block an unspecified business deal — believed to be her recent catalog deal worth an estimated $600 million with Sony.
In making this argument, estate executors John Branca And John McClane He argued Thursday that “no request for Ms. Jackson's care or maintenance was denied” in the years after Michael's 2009 death.
“Contrary to the claims made by Ms. Jackson’s counsel, the executors have in fact provided costs for Ms. Jackson’s support, care and well-being,” Branca and McLean’s attorneys wrote. “Since Michael’s death, Ms. Jackson’s executors have spent more than $55 million.”
The elder Jackson allegedly received more than $33 million in cash, including an ongoing allowance of $160,000 a month, as well as a luxury home worth $15 million, the estate claimed. Branca and McLean also claimed they provided Katherine with a $3.7 million emergency payment in December to satisfy back income tax liabilities.
“It is difficult to imagine that the trustees could provide Ms. Jackson with more freedom,” the executors’ lawyers wrote.
Thursday's filing is the latest development in an ongoing dispute between Catherine and the executors over her opposition to the unspecified business deal. While the disputed deal was not mentioned in court documents, the Jackson family recently struck a deal worth an estimated $600 million to sell a portion of the singer's catalog to Sony, the terms of which were first reported by painting Last month.
After the Jackson family requested court approval for the unnamed deal in 2022, Katherine filed objections with the court. But in April 2023, the judge overseeing the estate rejected those objections and ruled the deal could go ahead. Catherine then filed an appeal, which is still pending.
In December, Katherine filed motions asking the estate to pay the legal bills incurred in raising her objections, including the ongoing appeal. In an initial response earlier this month, Branca and McLean strongly opposed the request to pay for what they called a “failed objection” and “baseless appeal.”
Earlier this week, Michael's son, Plunkett, echoed those objections, arguing that his grandmother's appeal was “far-fetched” and that it would be “unfair” to force him and his siblings to pay for the case.
In their new filing on Thursday, Branca and McLean went further, claiming that the estate should not have paid Katherine's lawyers for filing objections that caused “serious harm.”
“More importantly, this petition is not about Ms. Jackson’s maintenance, care, comfort, or support,” the executors’ attorneys wrote. “This petition relates to the award of attorney's fees for the objection filed on behalf of Ms. Jackson, which was overruled by the court, and the subsequent, frivolous appeal that remains pending.”
Katherine Jackson's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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