More than 17 years after Michael Jackson’s death, questions about what happened to his fortune are still creating tension between his family and the people managing his estate. Paris Jackson isn't one to back down, and she's now challenging millions of dollars in reported expenses.
© WWD via Getty ImagesAt the center of her latest challenge is a financial report prepared by estate executor John Branca. In court documents obtained by TMZ, Paris’ attorneys argue that the accounting, which covers 2022, does not give a sufficiently detailed picture of the estate's business activities. They say information about 18 companies owned by the estate is missing and want the current report rejected.
Her attorneys are also questioning the amount of money going toward the people and services running the estate. The filing takes issue with more than $9.4 million in compensation paid to Branca and the late co-executor John McClain, approximately $3.8 million in legal fees, and substantial public relations expenses.
© Getty ImagesAnother $604,850.09 in credit card and law firm charges is described by the legal team as insufficiently specified.
The amount reportedly spent on travel also sticks out. Paris’ attorneys allege that private jets were used for personal trips charged to the estate. Her representative told TMZ that Branca had used estate resources to support a lavish lifestyle, arguing that the spending was inconsistent with his obligation to act in the beneficiaries' interests.
© Getty ImagesQuestions about the value of certain professional services also appear in the filing. Paris’ team challenged payments to Harvard Business School professor James Sebenius, claiming his consulting work did more to promote Branca as a “legendary” lawyer than to advance the estate's interests.
The attorneys have also scrutinized the financial decisions surrounding the biopic, Michael, which Paris has always vocally opposed. Branca was an executive producer on the project, and Paris’ team alleges that millions were spent on reshoots without a clear return on that investment. They also questioned the decision to cast Miles Teller as Branca.
© Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty IBeyond individual expenses, the filing raises a broader question about how the estate manages its money. Paris’ attorneys say more than $440 million was kept in low-yield bank accounts.
They also argue that Branca's compensation is tied to gross entertainment revenue, potentially giving him an incentive to focus on bringing in money rather than protecting the beneficiaries' wider financial interests.
© GettyThe executors reject that criticism and say the expenses must be viewed in the context of running a large entertainment business. A representative for the estate told TMZ that Paris' attorneys were repeating what they called “the same hollow complaints.”
The representative pointed to the financial position Michael left behind, saying the estate was approximately $500 million in debt when he died in 2009.
According to the spokesperson, the executors have since generated $3 billion in revenue and helped build what they described as the most successful estate in history. The representative also cited the global box office success of Michael, which surpassed $1 billion worldwide, as evidence of the estate's performance.
The disagreement over the accounting is unfolding alongside Paris' separate effort to secure funding for the family trust. She has asked a judge to direct the estate to transfer at least $600 million into the trust intended for her and her brothers, Prince and Bigi.
© Getty ImagesIn that separate petition, she argued that the trust has not been funded despite the considerable earnings generated by her father's estate.
The estate has pushed back on that claim, saying unresolved matters, including its dispute with the IRS over taxes and penalties, have prevented it from fully funding the trust. Its representatives have also pointed to more than $200 million already distributed for the benefit of Michael's children.
Paris' attorneys want the judge to reject the existing report and require Branca to provide a more complete accounting. A hearing on those objections is scheduled for December 7, according to TMZ.
