Michael Jackson Accused by Multiple Siblings From Alleged ‘Second Family’ in New Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against Estate

Multiple siblings from the Cascio family, who were once close to Michael Jackson, have filed a lawsuit against his estate accusing the late singer of sexual abuse and grooming.

The claims were shared in a report by The New York Times and also tied to statements made in recent legal filings. Four siblings in the family say Jackson abused them when they were children and used emotional manipulation to control them.

The family first met Jackson in the 1980s through their father, who worked as a hotel manager in New York. They became very close to the singer and spent a lot of time with him. For years, they publicly defended him and denied any wrongdoing, including in interviews and in a book written by one of the siblings.

Now, their account has changed. In the lawsuit and interviews reported by The New York Times, they say Jackson slowly built trust with them and made them feel dependent on him. One of the siblings, Eddie Cascio, described it by saying, “We were brainwashed. We were groomed. He made us feel like he was everything: a friend, father, like every sort of emotional support. And he was.”

They also claim Jackson tried to position them as loyal defenders, even against other accusations he faced during his life.

The siblings say they only fully understood their past experiences much later. They point to the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland as a turning point, saying it made them re-examine what happened to them when they were younger.

Before this new lawsuit, the family had already reached a settlement with Jackson’s estate in 2020. Reports say they received about 16 million dollars, paid over several years. But as those payments were ending, disagreements grew over further compensation, which led to the current legal action.

The Jackson estate strongly rejects the new claims. Marty Singer, an attorney representing the estate, called the lawsuit baseless and driven by money. He said in a statement to PEOPLE, “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.”

He also pointed out that the family previously supported Jackson for decades and denied any abuse in earlier public statements.

Despite that, the Cascio siblings say their goal is not only financial. According to The New York Times, they insist they want to speak publicly about what they believe really happened and share their version of events.

The lawsuit comes at the same time as renewed attention on Jackson due to the release of a new biographical film about his life. The movie focuses mainly on his early years and rise to fame, and it avoids covering many of the later controversies around him. That choice has already drawn criticism from some commentators.

At this point, the case is still developing, and the estate is expected to push to have it dismissed or paused due to ongoing arbitration.

This situation shows how complicated and long-lasting accusations involving public figures can become, especially when relationships and public statements change over time. It also raises questions about memory, trust, and timing in legal disputes. What do you think about this case and the way old relationships are being re-examined years later?

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