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Michael Jackson Estate Says Wade Robson and James Safechuck Are Seeking $400 Million in Abuse Lawsuits
The estate of Michael Jackson has confirmed that two of the pop icon’s most persistent accusers — Wade Robson and James Safechuck — are now seeking a staggering $400 million in damages. According to new court filings obtained by Billboard, the revelation surfaced last week in Los Angeles Superior Court, where Michael Jackson estate executors John Branca and John McClain disclosed the figure in a motion related to ongoing litigation.
Wade Robson and James Safechuck have been suing Jackson’s companies for more than a decade, alleging they were sexually abused as children. Their claims, which resurfaced prominently in HBO’s 2019 docuseries Leaving Neverland, have been at the heart of one of the most closely watched celebrity abuse cases of the past decade.
Estate Warns of ‘Disastrous’ Consequences
In the filing, John Branca and John McClain wrote that failing to adequately fund the estate’s legal defense could have “profoundly destabilizing consequences,” including a potentially ruinous judgment. “It would be disastrous for the Estate to default in this case,” they warned, noting that numerous depositions and discovery hearings are scheduled in the coming months.
The executors’ statement framed the $400 million figure as a central reason for continuing to pay large sums to outside law firms. Paris Jackson, Michael’s daughter, has filed a separate petition challenging those payments, alleging the executors have not been transparent about legal fees.
Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch
Paris Jackson Dispute Highlights Internal Tensions
The new filing came amid an intra-estate dispute. In June, Paris Jackson claimed that the executors had paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to three firms without providing an adequate explanation. The estate has denied any wrongdoing, insisting such expenditures are “quite common” in the music industry and necessary to protect Jackson’s legacy.
By invoking the potential cost of losing the Robson and Safechuck lawsuits, the executors appear to be making their strongest case yet for why these legal fees are essential.
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Jackson’s Legacy Under Renewed Scrutiny
Michael Jackson, who died in 2009, was never convicted or held civilly liable for child molestation. Yet allegations have continued to dog his reputation. Last year, the estate sued Frank Cascio for allegedly fabricating abuse claims as part of a $213 million extortion attempt.
The revived lawsuits by Robson and Safechuck — cleared to proceed by an appeals court in 2023 — are currently set for trial next year. If the plaintiffs succeed, the financial and reputational stakes for the Michael Jackson estate could be unprecedented.
