Paris Jackson Raises Concerns Over Estate’s “Irregular Payments”

There’s more legal drama unfolding around Michael Jackson’s estate. This time, it’s Paris, Michael’s daughter, who’s raising some serious red flags about how the estate’s money is being handled.

According to newly surfaced court documents, Paris has officially objected to a request by the estate’s executors, John Branca and John McClain, who want the court to approve hefty legal fees tied to work done from July to December 2018. Yes, that’s over five years ago.

Paris, now 27, didn’t hold back. She questioned why the executors failed to give “adequate responses to the court’s inquiries” or offer a “clear, enforceable commitment” to finally get these long-delayed fee requests sorted.

Even more troubling, Paris highlighted what she called “so-called ‘premium payments’ for unrecorded attorney time.” Her legal team pointed out that during just that six-month period, the executors are asking the court to approve $625,000 in payments to three law firms, for hours that weren’t even properly documented. Her lawyer noted, “Why should these payments go through when there’s no clear record of the work done?”

Paris also accused the executors of effectively showering already well-paid lawyers with lavish bonuses, raising serious concerns about whether they’re keeping a close enough eye on the estate’s money.

It doesn’t stop there. Paris flagged that two of these law firms seem to have already been paid in full, before the court even signed off, which goes against a previous order that only partial payments were allowed until final approval.

“This all raises substantial questions about whether the executors are effectively supervising the attorneys, or simply greenlighting six-figure gifts to themselves and their colleagues,” Paris’ filing reads.

Another big issue for Paris: the shifting numbers. As the executors revised their petition, the fees requested by different firms changed — a lot. One firm’s bill went from $194,000 to $211,000. Another dropped from $789,000 to $258,000. A third bounced from $838,000 to $427,000, then back up to $675,000. “Why are these numbers all over the place?” Paris’ lawyer asked.

Because of all these inconsistencies, Paris is demanding the court deny the entire $625,000 request until the attorneys’ invoices can be thoroughly reviewed. She also wants a concrete plan to make sure these approvals don’t drag on for years.

Meanwhile, the executors argue they have a standing agreement with Michael’s children to submit these legal fee requests every six months. But delays have clearly piled up.

This isn’t the first time the estate’s dealings have faced pushback. Just last year, Michael’s mother, Katherine, tried to block the massive sale of part of Michael’s music catalog to Sony, a deal rumored to be worth around $600 million. Katherine felt the deal didn’t serve the family’s best interests. The executors pushed back hard, pointing out they’ve paid her over $33 million since Michael’s passing, set her up with a $160,000 monthly allowance, and bought her a $15 million home. Ultimately, the court sided with the executors and let the sale go through.

For now, Paris is standing firm, determined to ensure her father’s legacy and fortune are handled with the care and transparency Michael’s fans and family believe he deserves. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this as it continues to unfold.