Being the daughter of the King of Pop comes with plenty of perks but apparently, a smooth relationship with his estate isn’t one of them. Paris Jackson is heading to court over what she says is years of financial mismanagement tied to her father Michael Jackson‘s estate. According to a new filing exclusively obtained by Us Weekly, the 28-year-old is demanding nearly $3 million back for her family, taking direct aim at John Branca, the longtime executor who controls the King of Pop’s fortune.
Part of the dispute traces back to Paris’ own legal bills. She claims Branca “over-litigated” a prior disagreement between them, sticking her with $1.1 million in legal fees that she now wants reimbursed. But the bigger number in the filing comes from something else entirely: Paris alleges Branca funneled $2.85 million in estate funds toward unauthorized gifts – money she says should have gone to the family instead.
A source close to Paris’ legal team suggests this fight has been building for a while. “All Paris has ever wanted is fair treatment for her family, but the Estate has tried to block her at every turn,” the source told Us Weekly, describing Branca’s handling of the estate as “wasteful spending” and “financial mismanagement,” and calling for real accountability going forward.
Unsurprisingly, the estate isn’t taking these allegations lying down though its lawyers have been careful about what they’ll actually say publicly. In their response, they leaned on attorney-client confidentiality, arguing they have a duty to protect details of their legal strategy rather than litigating the dispute in the press. It’s a reminder that even decades after Michael Jackson’s death, his legacy (and the fortune behind it) is still very much a family affair, drama included.
