A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against the Michael Jackson estate, filed by four siblings who claim they were abused by the late pop star. The ruling is a significant victory for the estate, which has consistently denied allegations of child sex abuse.
The Cascio siblings, who grew up with Jackson and referred to themselves as his ‘second family’, alleged in a February lawsuit that Jackson raped and molested them as children over the course of more than a decade. However, Judge Hernán D. Vera ruled that the claims must be handled in confidential arbitration, citing a 2019 settlement between the family and the Jackson estate.
The settlement, which included a $3.5 million payment to the Cascio family, was reached after the release of the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, which raised allegations of child sex abuse against Jackson. The Cascio siblings, who had previously defended Jackson against similar claims, now say that the settlement is void and unenforceable because they were coerced into signing it.
Arbitration Clause Enforced
Judge Vera’s ruling echoes a previous decision reached in March by a different judge in California state court, who oversaw a related legal proceeding over Frank Cascio’s sexual assault claims. The judge ruled that Frank’s signature on the settlement agreement required arbitration of all further disputes.
A lawyer for the Cascio siblings, Howard King, expressed disappointment at the ruling, stating that the family had hoped for a public trial. ‘The family will seek justice from the dark confines of a private conference room,’ King added. The Jackson estate has previously characterized the claims as a ‘desperate money grab’, pointing out that the Cascios had spent decades defending Jackson’s innocence before changing their story.
The ruling is the latest development in a long-running saga surrounding allegations of child sex abuse against Michael Jackson. While the Jackson estate has consistently denied these claims, they continue to dog the late pop star’s legacy.
