A lawsuit filed by four members of the Cascio family has generated headlines around the world, accusing the late Michael Jackson of sexually abusing them as children.

Background of the Case

The federal complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, names the Michael Jackson Company, co-executors John Branca and the late John McClain, MJJ Productions, MJJ Ventures, and others as defendants. The lawsuit asserts claims that include sex trafficking of children, negligence, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty.

For those who knew Jackson, however, the lawsuit represents an extraordinary reversal. Jackson first met Dominic Cascio Sr. in 1984, and over the next quarter-century, Jackson became a frequent guest at the Cascio family’s home in Hawthorne, New Jersey.

The family became one of the very few outside Jackson’s immediate relatives whom he trusted around his children, Prince, Paris, and Bigi Jackson, who are now among the principal beneficiaries of his estate.

Financial History of the Family

People close to the estate and Jackson family say the lawsuit cannot be viewed apart from the family’s financial history. Public court records show that James Victor Porte, the husband of plaintiff Marie-Nicole Porte, sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in South Carolina in November 2025 before the case was converted to Chapter 7.

Additionally, plaintiff Edward J. Cascio previously filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in New Jersey. Sources familiar with the estate also pointed to a residence in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, valued at approximately $1 million.

According to multiple people familiar with Jackson’s finances, the singer loaned Dominic Cascio Sr. approximately $600,000, which was never repaid.

Original reporting: The Washington Informer — read the source article.