The long standing bond between Michael Jackson’s estate and the Cascio family has completely imploded into a high-stakes federal legal battle.
Once known as Jackson’s “second family,” siblings Edward Cascio, Dominic Cascio, Marie Porte, and Aldo Cascio have filed a bombshell lawsuit against The Michael Jackson Company.
The group is alleging child sex trafficking, claiming the late pop star used “force, fraud, or coercion” to abuse them over a ten year period. According to the court documents, the siblings allege Jackson “drugged, raped, and sexually assaulted each of the Plaintiffs, beginning when some of them were as young as seven or eight.”
The details in the filing are graphic and sprawling, describing a decade of grooming where Jackson allegedly used his fame and wealth to isolate the children. The siblings claim the misconduct wasn’t confined to Neverland Ranch but occurred during “interstate and international trips” to Florida, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. One specific allegation from Edward Cascio claims he was assaulted while staying at the homes of Jackson’s close friends, Elizabeth Taylor and Elton John. The lawsuit further alleges that Jackson normalized the environment by showing the children “pornography and pictures of unclothed children,” which he reportedly described as “sweet.”
However, the Jackson Estate’s legal team is dismissing the claims as a coordinated extortion attempt. Attorney Marty Singer issued a scathing response to the filing, stating, “This lawsuit is a desperate money grab by additional members of the Cascio family who have hopped on the bandwagon with their brother Frank, who is already being sued in arbitration for civil extortion. The family staunchly defended Michael Jackson for more than 25 years, attesting to his innocence of inappropriate conduct. This new court filing is a transparent forum-shopping tactic in their scheme to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars from Michael’s estate and companies.”
Singer also pointed to the family’s long history of public support for Jackson as proof that the new allegations are fabricated for financial gain. Statements by the Cascios, including those appearing in dozens of passages throughout Frank Cascio’s 2011 book, as well as in interviews with Oprah Winfrey and others, directly contradict what is being alleged now. Throughout, the Cascios consistently and repeatedly asserted that Michael never harmed any of them or anyone else,” Singer added.
This legal escalation follows a previously hidden 2020 settlement where each sibling reportedly received $690,000 annually for five years after the release of the Leaving Neverland documentary.
Now represented by attorneys Mark Geragos and Howard King, the Cascios are attempting to void that agreement, arguing it was an inadequate sum to cover the trauma they endured. With King stating his clients deserve upwards of $200 million, the case appears headed for a massive showdown in federal court.
