Paris Jackson Accuses Estate Lawyers of Skimming Funds

Paris Jackson has filed a legal motion accusing the executors of her late father Michael Jackson's estate, John Branca and John McClain, along with a group of high-powered attorneys, of exploiting a lack of oversight to improperly skim money from the estate. She alleges significant delays in court approval for extraordinary legal fees and highlights non-contractual gifts of $125,000 and $250,000 to counsel that were obscured due to these delays, raising concerns about transparency and the management of estate funds. Paris is requesting tighter court oversight, including the submission of detailed paperwork for legal fees paid between 2019 and 2023 and limiting payments until invoices are court-approved. The motion aims to protect the rights and interests of Paris and her brothers, the estate's beneficiaries, and proposes appointing a third executor to independently supervise counsel and finances. The estate strongly denies these allegations, with attorney Jonathan Steinsapir describing the claims as baseless and emphasizing the estate's financial success and previous court approvals over 16 years. The dispute reflects ongoing tensions regarding the management and accountability of the lucrative estate following Michael Jackson's 2009 death.