Wade Robson and James Safechuck, the two men who have accused Michael Jackson of sexual abuse, are demanding a settlement worth $400 million.
The figure was revealed by John Branca and John McClain, the executors of the late King of Pop’s estate, as part of ongoing court proceedings brought by Jackson’s daughter Paris regarding legal fees.
Us Magazine reports that Branca and McClain defended the fees they have agreed to pay lawyers on the basis that the estate requires substantial legal assistance on a number of matters, including fighting Robson and Safechuck’s lawsuit.
In court documents filed on September 15, Branca and McClain write that failure to pay all legal fees would have “profoundly destabilizing consequences for the estate.”
They continue: “The Estate would likely have to default in [Robson and Safechuck’s lawsuit], where numerous depositions, discovery matters, and other matters are scheduled to take place over the next several months, and where [Robson and Safechuck] are seeking $400 million.”
The amount Robson and Safechuck were seeking had not previously been revealed.
Branca and McClain add: “It would be disastrous for the Estate to default in this case.”
Robson and Safechuck’s accusations formed the basis of the Leaving Neverland documentary in 2019.
Earlier this year, Paris Jackson raised concerns about payments being made from her father’s estate.
The 27-year-old is one of the King of Pop’s three children. After he died in 2009, she became one of the beneficiaries of his estate along with her brothers Prince and Bigi. Her grandmother Katherine was also provided for in Jackson’s will.
According to court documents filed in July, Paris objected to a request for legal fees from Branca and McClain.
The fees in question relate to work done in 2018, and the length of time it has taken for the estate’s executors to respond to the court’s questions about the payments is part of Jackson’s complaint.
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In the filing, she also expresses concern about the practice of executors granting “so-called ‘premium payments’ for unrecorded attorney time.”
Her lawyer writes: “During this one six-month period alone in 2018, Executors request that the Court approve $625,000 in payments to three law firms for what they say is uncaptured time, without explanation as to why counsel was incapable of recording unbilled time, or why such a failure should not preclude payment.”
The lawyer continued: “Even worse, these payments appear, at least in part, to consist of lavish gratuities bestowed upon already well-compensated counsel.”
Jackson’s legal team argues that the payments reflect poorly on the executors of the estate, writing: “These irregular payments raise serious and substantial questions about Executors’ ability to effectively supervise counsel… and refraining from wasteful, six-figure gift-giving to themselves and their colleagues.”
The court proceedings are ongoing.
