Paris Jackson demands $600M from dad Michael’s estate, accuses executor of withholding kids’ inheritance

See more of our coverage in your search results. Paris Jackson is demanding $600 million from her late father Michael Jackson’s estate, accusing its longtime executor of keeping the children from receiving their inheritance.. In a bombshell new court filing, obtained exclusively by Page Six, the 28-year-old singer is asking a judge to order the estate to make a preliminary distribution of $600 million to the Michael Jackson Family Trust, arguing that there is no legitimate reason the money has not been transferred more than 17 years after the King of Pop’s death. Paris claims that despite the estate generating billions of dollars and accumulating hundreds of millions in cash, the trust intended to benefit her and her brothers, Prince, 29, and Bigi, 24, remains unfunded. Paris, snapped last month, is accusing the executor of her late father’s estate of with holding her and her sibling’s inheritance. WWD via Getty Images Paris is demanding that the estate of the “Thriller” singer (pictured above) distribute $600 million to the Michael Jackson Family Trust. Getty Images The petition, filed Oct. 29 in Los Angeles Superior Court, takes aim at executor John Branca, accusing him of maintaining an “iron grip” over the siblings by controlling when and if they receive money from their father’s estate.Branca, an attorney and chairman of The Michael Jackson Company, was initially hired by the King of Pop in 1985. Branca resigned from Jackson’s team over financial matters in 2006, before rejoining in 2009 — eight days before Jackson died. Michael’s will stipulated that his children should start receiving income from their respective portions of the trust when they turned 21. However, Paris claims that never happened, and that they instead receive smaller amounts determined by Branca. She further alleges that Branca uses his control over those payments to discourage the siblings from questioning his handling of the estate. In the filing, Paris, pictured in October, accuses the executor of estate, John Branca, of maintaining an “iron grip” over “Bad” singer’s children by controlling the flow of money. BACKGRID Branca, spotted in 2023, has been accused by Paris rejoined Jackson’s team only 8 days before his shocking death. Getty Images The filing also claims that when Paris began challenging the estate’s administration last year, including objecting to what she described as Branca’s “non-contractual gifts” to colleagues, her concerns were met with “scorched earth litigation,” public attacks and a multimillion-dollar reduction in the money provided to her and her siblings. “This course of conduct and administration should not continue,” the petition states. According to the filing, Michael intended for each of his children to receive one-third of the principal in their respective trusts when they turned 30. They would then receive half of their remaining shares at 35, with the balance distributed outright at 40. Prince is set to turn 30 in four months, while Paris turns 29 in April and Bigi turns 25 in February. Paris argues that the estate has more than enough money to fund the trust while still covering its outstanding obligations. The filing alleges that once Paris, pictured above last month, began challenging the administration of the estate, her concerns were met with “scorched earth litigation.” Watto / BACKGRID The “Beat It” singer (pictured in 1983) intended for his children to receive one-third of the principal in their respective trusts when they turned 30, the filing states. Getty Images Among the transactions cited in the filing are the estate’s 2018 sale of its roughly 10% interest in EMI Music Publishing to Sony for $287.5 million, the 2020 sale of Neverland Ranch for $22 million and the 2023 deal with Sony, which agreed to pay $750 million upfront for a 50% interest in the estate’s remaining intellectual property assets. Those transactions alone generated more than $1 billion in pre-tax, pre-expense liquidity, according to the petition. The estate has also reported generating more than $2.5 billion in gross earnings through December 2024, with its overall value estimated between $2 billion and $3 billion. As of December 2024, the estate reportedly held approximately $850 million in cash and cash equivalents. Paris estimates that even after accounting for potential liabilities, approximately $600 million remains available for distribution. The late singer’s estate reportedly has generated over two billion in profit, the filing states. Getty Images Paris alleges that the money generated by the estate is more than enough to not only cover the financial obligations of the estate, but also fund the trust. AP Photo/Emma Da Silva Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! The petition argues that California law favors distributing estate assets to beneficiaries as soon as it can be done without jeopardizing creditors or other interested parties. She also argues that outstanding tax matters and litigation do not justify continuing to hold all of the estate’s assets. The petition notes that nearly all significant creditor claims and litigation have been resolved or disposed of favorably, with only certain claims remaining. Paris is asking the court to order Branca to transfer the $600 million to the family trust, or whatever amount the judge determines to be appropriate. She is also seeking reimbursement for her legal fees and costs from estate assets. A spokesperson for the Michael Jackson Estate told Page Six, “Ms. Jackson’s counsel is well aware that the Estate is prevented from fully funding the charitable foundation and the individual trusts for the beneficiaries until several legal hurdles have been removed, including in particular the ongoing IRS litigation, where they sought $700 million in taxes and penalties from the Estate.” “While we were able to secure a ruling to significantly reduce that amount, the matter has not been settled and could still change. Further, the claim that the executor has withheld or ‘cut’ payments is a complete fabrication.” In 2024, Jackson’s estate reportedly held approximately $850 million in cash and cash equivalents. WireImage Paris believes that after accounting for liabilities, approximately $600 million remains available for distribution. GC Images “The Estate looks forward to the time when all issues are resolved so that the charitable foundation and trusts can be fully funded as Michael wanted.”The matter is scheduled for a December hearing. Michael died on June 25, 2009, at age 50. He named his family trust as the sole beneficiary of his estate, with Branca also named as trustee. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. 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