9 months ago
Michael Jackson's Siblings Allege Abuse and Estate Coercion
Some people who knew Michael Jackson as kids, the Cascio family, are saying that Michael Jackson did bad things to them when they were young.
They also say that Michael Jackson once told them to hide from his lawyer because he didn't want the lawyer to know they were there.
Now that Michael Jackson is gone, these siblings are telling his team, called the estate, about what happened.
But the estate says they are just trying to get money and are lying.
The siblings say the estate tried to trick them into signing a paper to be quiet about the abuse by making them feel pressured and scared, and they weren't allowed to get their own lawyers.
The estate doesn't agree and says the siblings are trying to extort them.
Cascio siblings Frank, Marie-Nicole, and Aldo allege Michael Jackson subjected them to abuse and made them hide from his lawyer.
They claim Michael Jackson's estate used coercion and deception to suppress their abuse allegations.
The estate has filed a petition accusing the Cascios of a 'civil extortion scheme.'
The siblings describe a rushed, pressured 'settlement agreement' meeting where they were discouraged from seeking legal counsel.
Marie-Nicole Porte claims the estate's representatives told them not to inform Jackson's children about the agreement or the alleged abuse.
- Who
- Michael Jackson's former inner circle members, the Cascio siblings (Frank, Marie-Nicole, and Aldo), and the Michael Jackson Estate
- What
- The Cascio siblings have accused Michael Jackson of child abuse and claim his estate attempted to suppress their allegations through coercive tactics. The estate, in turn, accuses the siblings of civil extortion.
- Where
- The alleged hiding took place at Michael Jackson's homes and hotel suites. The settlement discussions reportedly occurred at the Cascio family's restaurant in New Jersey.
- When
- The alleged hiding occurred around 2003-2004. The siblings brought their claims to the estate's executors in late 2019, a decade after Jackson's death.
- Why
- The Cascios claim they were abused by Jackson and that the estate sought to silence them to protect its financial interests and reputation. The estate claims the Cascios are pursuing an extortion scheme.
Cascio Siblings' Claims
Michael Jackson Estate's Response
Childhood Abuse and Hiding
Cascio Siblings' Claims
The Cascio siblings (Frank, Marie-Nicole, and Aldo) allege they were made to 'hide' by Michael Jackson to conceal their presence from his lawyer, Mark Geragos, and that they endured similar 'abuse' from him. Marie-Nicole asserts they were present when Geragos discussed Jackson's child molestation charges in 2003-2004.
Michael Jackson Estate's Response
The Michael Jackson Company and estate co-executors John Branca and John McClain claim the Cascios are engaged in a 'civil extortion scheme.'
Estate's Handling of Claims
Cascio Siblings' Claims
The siblings claim the estate engaged in coercion, deception, and betrayal, using a rushed, pressured 'settlement agreement' meeting without lawyers present and discouraging legal counsel to suppress their claims. They were allegedly told not to inform Jackson's children about the agreement or abuse.
Michael Jackson Estate's Response
The estate filed a petition accusing the Cascios of a 'civil extortion scheme' and referred to the agreement as a 'life rights agreement,' contradicting the siblings' description of it as coercive.
Lawyer's Awareness
Cascio Siblings' Claims
Marie-Nicole Porte states that when she later informed Mark Geragos about being hidden, he appeared 'genuinely shocked' to learn he had been unaware of their presence during his representation.
Michael Jackson Estate's Response
The estate's filings implicitly challenge the siblings' narrative by accusing them of extortion, suggesting their claims are not to be taken at face value.
Key facts
- Accusers
- Frank Cascio (44), Marie-Nicole Porte (37), Aldo Cascio (34)
- Allegations Against
- Michael Jackson (deceased)
- Allegations By Estate
- Civil extortion scheme
- Key Lawyer Mentioned
- Mark Geragos
- Timeframe of Alleged Hiding
- During Michael Jackson's child molestation charges (circa 2003-2004)
- Alleged Estate Action
- Coercive settlement agreement meeting
Quotes
Marie-Nicole Porte
Sibling of Frank Cascio, describing Michael Jackson's instructions
“We were told by Michael to hide . . . Michael seemed nervous and very paranoid about the possibility of Mr. Geragos discovering we were there. He told us things to the effect of ‘the lawyer cannot know you are here’ and ‘stay in here and do not come out until I say it’s okay.’ He also told us not to make any noise.”
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“we were told by the Estate’s representatives that if we involved lawyers, the agreement would not get done or it would take years to finalize. We were confused, frightened, and desperate to protect our family’s privacy.”
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Aldo Cascio
Sibling of Frank Cascio, describing the estate's coercive tactics
“Being branded a liar or extortionist about my childhood abuse has been humiliating, degrading and deeply wounding. I still struggle to wrap my head around the full extent of what Michael has done and the pain that continues to ripple through everything.”
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“The pressure was compounded by the Estate’s exploitation of our family’s relationship with Michael’s children. We were told not to inform them about the agreement or the underlying abuse, even though keeping that secret was profoundly distressing.”
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Marie-Nicole Porte and Aldo Cascio
Siblings of Frank Cascio, alleging abuse by Michael Jackson
“abuse”
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Mark Geragos
Lawyer representing the Cascio siblings
“appeared genuinely shocked to learn that Michael had kept us hidden from him during his representation.”
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