Paris Jackson asks the court for a transfer of $600 million from Michael Jackson's inheritance

Update

Paris Jackson asks the court for a transfer of $600 million from Michael Jackson's inheritance

The allegations include improper management of real assets, including the sale of Tony Bennett's music catalog and image rights on behalf of the brand development firm Iconoclast, transactions completed immediately before the artist's death. The complaint states that the sisters received a 'modest one-time distribution' of $245,000, an amount considered far from what is stipulated in their father's will, which provides for equal division of assets among the four children. Antonia Bennett also reported disputed access to her father's possessions, stating that a promised piano had been left in bad condition and that they were blocked from filming his apartment, after previous attempts to obtain financial information through other legal actions failed. ^[2]

Update

Paris Jackson seeks $600 million from the court for the Jackson family trust

Paris Jackson, the artist's daughter, sought through a complaint filed on October 29 in a California state court a transfer of $600 million USD to a family trust created for her and her brothers, Prince (29 years old) and Bigi (24 years old), accusing the estate administrators of incompetence and poor financial management. ^[3]

The complaint argues that distributions from the trust should have begun when the heirs reached the age of 21, with the final distribution occurring later at ages 30 and 40, respectively. The executors reject this, stating that Michael Jackson's clear will stipulates that no child receives any distribution until they reach the age of 30. The legal confrontation also concerns financial control of the estate. Paris Jackson demands transparency and accountability, while the executors cite battles with the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) as the main obstacle. The initial tax audit estimated debts of $700 million in taxes and penalties, an amount that has been significantly reduced through court decisions but remains, according to the executors, unresolved and subject to change. ^[3]

The estate claims it has already distributed over $200 million for the benefit of Paris Jackson and other beneficiaries. Its lawyers contest this claim, citing the huge volume of money generated recently through auctions. Thus, the sale of approximately a 10% stake in EMI Music Publishing to Sony for over $287 million, the sale of Neverland Ranch for $22 million, and a 2023 agreement with Sony for music rights, which brought in $750 million, generated pre-tax, pre-expense liquidity exceeding $1 billion. Following Michael Jackson's death in 2009 at the age of 50, the court appointed co-executors John Branca and John McClain. McClain died in May of this year. ^[3]

This is not the first attempt by Paris Jackson to challenge how her father's wealth is managed. In 2025, when she opposed gifts made by Branca to colleagues, she encountered militarized resistance in the form of 'a burned land dispute, public attacks, and a drop of millions of dollars in funds assigned to her and her siblings by the estate,' according to the petition. Paris Jackson's legal team points out that the estate has sufficient assets for a significant partial distribution. At the end of December 2024, the entity reported revenues worth over $2.5 billion and approximately $850 million in cash. On the other hand, the executors estimate that the total value of the estate stands between $2 and $3 billion. ^[3]

A representative of Paris Jackson stated on November 3 that the actress and musician 'is fighting for transparency and accountability' after years marked by delays and incompetent financial management. He added that the executors had the duty and ability to start funding the trust long ago, instead, 'they paid themselves over $200 million' and it is time for their actions to be directed toward the interest of the beneficiaries, as Michael Jackson had intended. ^[3]

Paris Jackson's lawyers offered a different perspective on the IRS disputes, arguing that at the time of the petition, there were no ongoing motions or pending appeals related to the taxes owed. The estate labeled some of the claims raised by Paris Jackson as 'complete fabrication,' reaffirming the clarity of the testamentary will regarding the age of 30 for distributions. A representative of Paris Jackson replied that the estate 'diverts attention' to mask its own incompetence and that Paris had no choice but to intervene directly after years of waiting. ^[3]

The hearing in the inheritance case is scheduled for December 4. ^[3]

Update

Paris Jackson asks the court for a transfer of $600 million from Michael Jackson's inheritance

Paris Jackson asked the Los Angeles court to transfer $600 million from Michael Jackson's estate into a family trust created for her and her brothers, Prince and Bigi. The action comes after the artist's daughter previously contested payments made to external law firms representing the estate, a dispute in which a judge decided to annul bonuses of $625,000 awarded to them, ordering the return of the sum. ^[4]

The petition emphasizes that the family trust should have been funded starting at the heirs' age of 21, followed by additional distributions at 30, 35, and 40. Paris argues that although the estate has appreciated significantly—estimated between $2 and $3 billion, with approximately $850 million in cash at the end of 2024—the funds have not been allocated according to their father's wishes. The estate executors reject these claims, citing an ongoing tax dispute with the IRS (Internal Revenue Service of the USA), where an initial debt estimated at $700 million remains unresolved, although it has been reduced through court decisions. ^[4]