Michael Jackson estate claims his daughter Paris received $65M in benefits as legal war with executors heats up

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Since Michael Jackson passed away 16 years ago, his daughter Paris has received approximately $65 million from his estate, according to the estate’s administrators.

The information was revealed in a court filing on October 9th. In this filing, the executors of Michael Jackson’s estate, John Branca and John McClain, responded to questions raised by Paris Jackson about how they managed his finances and business.

According to a legal document reviewed by People, Paris has received around $65 million from Michael Jackson’s estate, making her one of the biggest financial beneficiaries of how his estate has been managed, according to the attorneys representing the estate’s executors, Branca and McClain.

The person handling the estate explained that their business skills helped Paris gain significant financial benefits it wouldn’t have been able to achieve otherwise.

The executors stated that she wouldn’t have gotten the inheritance if they’d handled the estate as usual in July 2009.

Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Paris and the executors for further comment on the story. 

Paris Jackson, the middle child of Michael Jackson (her brothers are Prince, 28, and Bigi, 23), recently questioned the financial decisions of the estate’s executors. In a legal filing from June 24th, which People magazine reviewed, she raised concerns about bonuses and extra payments made in 2018, describing them as potentially inappropriate.

In their court filing, the estate administrators stated that over the past two decades, they’ve successfully revitalized Michael Jackson’s image and business ventures, turning a difficult legacy into a thriving enterprise.

They highlighted a judge’s previous comments, praising their ability to turn a failing business into a successful and influential company within the music industry.

According to court documents, Michael Jackson’s estate, which began deeply in debt, has been transformed into a $2 billion asset thanks to the decisions made by the estate’s administrators, Branca and McClain.

According to court documents reviewed by People magazine, Paris’s lawyers stated in a June filing that three law firms received a total of $625,000 in payments labeled as ‘gifts’ and ‘gratuities’ to cover work not previously billed for.

Paris’s lawyers argued in their court document that the estate’s representatives didn’t try to understand why the legal team couldn’t properly track unpaid work, or why this issue shouldn’t prevent them from getting paid.

According to a court filing, Paris’s lawyers stated that two firms received full payments when the court had only authorized partial payments of legal fees until the payments were officially approved.

What’s even more troubling is that these payments seem to include excessively generous gifts to lawyers who were already being paid well.

In a court filing on October 9th, the executors accused Paris’ lawyers of deliberately misrepresenting how bonus payments are distributed and whether those distributions comply with the existing agreement.

The legal team for the executors stated in their filing that bonuses aren’t given automatically; they are earned through exceptional work and achievements.

The bonuses don’t represent a full transfer of control and still require approval from the probate court.

In documents filed in July, the people managing the estate highlighted the crucial role legal teams played in several successful deals, noting they helped achieve exceptional outcomes.

According to the lawyers representing the estate’s executors, the transactions resulted in a return of over $287 million from the EMI investment, among other gains.

In 2018, Sony bought EMI’s ownership stake, and company leaders requested an additional $625,000 to cover payments to three different companies.

The estate’s lawyers argued that a standard hourly fee wouldn’t properly cover their work on the complex business dealings.

Michael Jackson passed away on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50, after experiencing a heart attack at his home in Los Angeles.

Authorities in February 2010 deemed his death as the result of acute propofol intoxication.

Jackson received a strong medication from his doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray. Investigators said Jackson referred to the drug—which was given through an IV—as ‘milk’ and explained he required it to help him sleep.

The news of Jackson’s passing brought an outpouring of tributes from fans around the world, both at memorial sites and across social media.

Michael Jackson’s family, including his three children, attended a widely-watched memorial service for him on July 7, 2009, at what is now Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles (formerly known as Staples Center). It was the first time the public had seen his children without masks.

At the emotional service, 11-year-old Paris shared how much she loved her father, describing him as the best a person could ask for since the day she was born.

A private funeral service for Michael Jackson’s family and close friends took place at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

After Michael Jackson’s death, the medical care provided by Dr. Conrad Murray came under investigation. Concerns were raised about his decisions regarding the amount of medication he gave Jackson and whether he followed proper safety procedures when administering it.

Investigators concluded that Michael Jackson’s death was a homicide. Over two years later, in November 2011, his doctor, Conrad Murray, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and received a four-year prison sentence.

Michael Jackson enjoyed an incredibly successful music career, becoming one of the best-selling artists ever and winning 13 Grammy Awards from a total of 38 nominations.

He received several awards, including Best R&B Vocal Performance for “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough” in 1980, Album of the Year for *Thriller* in 1984, and Record of the Year for “Beat It” that same year.

In 1993, he received a Grammy Legend Award, and after his death, The Recording Academy honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. He was also recognized for his contributions to music with his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

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2025-10-16 00:49