Four former family friends of Michael Jackson have filed a lawsuit against his estate and related companies, accusing the late superstar and his business organization of sex trafficking and years of abuse when they were children.
According to a complaint filed in federal court on Friday (Feb. 27), Edward Cascio, Dominic Cascio, Marie-Nicole Porte, and Aldo Cascio allege Jackson groomed and abused them over a period spanning more than a decade, beginning when some were as young as seven or eight years old. The lawsuit claims Jackson used his fame, wealth, and influence to gain their trust through gifts, travel, and emotional manipulation before isolating them and allegedly sexually assaulting them.
The filing also accuses Jackson’s companies and inner circle of enabling the alleged abuse. The plaintiffs claim employees and associates helped facilitate access to the children, supplied drugs and alcohol, and created environments that allowed Jackson to be alone with them during trips and at his Neverland Ranch.
In addition to accusing Jackson of abuse, the lawsuit targets his estate and several affiliated entities, including The Michael Jackson Company, as well as estate co-executors John Branca and John McClain. The plaintiffs allege the defendants played a role in covering up misconduct and later used legal agreements and financial settlements to silence them.
The complaint outlines multiple legal claims, including sex trafficking of children, negligence, emotional distress, fraud, and breach of contract, and demands a jury trial along with financial damages.
The Cascio siblings were once considered part of Jackson’s inner circle and had previously defended him publicly. Their lawsuit now alleges that after the release of the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, they sought accountability but were instead pressured into signing agreements that offered minimal payments and limited their ability to speak out.
Jackson, who died in 2009, was never criminally convicted of child sexual abuse. His estate has consistently denied allegations of wrongdoing and has previously described similar claims as false and financially motivated.
Complex has reached out to John Branca and the Estate of Michael Jackson for comment. The case is ongoing.