Inside the Fight Over Michael Jackson’s $2 Billion Estate — and His Mom's Battle with Her Grandson Bigi

Estate refuses to pay Katherine Jackson’s legal bills, saying she’s already been paid millions, and Biggie objects to covering her costs

In a hearing in a Los Angeles courtroom on Friday, March 22, Katherine Jackson continued to face legal hurdles over the estate of her late son and music icon Michael Jackson.

With her appeal of the previous court decision pending, the Jackson family matriarch is now battling her grandson Bigi (formerly known as Blanket) over whether her legal bills should be paid from the estate.

Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine Jackson and son Blga attend a memorial service for the late singer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in August 2011.

ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty

Attorney John Branca and A&R director John McClain, co-executors of Jackson’s estate, won a favorable ruling last year in probate court. The decision, linked to the reported $600 million sale of half of Jackson’s music catalog to Sony, allowed them to move forward with the proposed deal – despite Katherine’s objections.

In a recent appeal filed by the estate, Branca and McClain explained that they “believe the transaction is for the benefit of the estate and in the best interest of the beneficiaries,” which are Jackson’s three children, Paris, Prince and Bigi, as well as unnamed charities.

From left: Prince Michael Jackson, Katherine Jackson, Bigi Jackson and Paris Jackson in 2012.

Lester Cohen/WireImage

The executors claim they negotiated the settlement to take advantage of a property market that was “by far the hottest it’s ever been,” according to a recent appeal filed by the estate. The sale reportedly allows the estate to maintain “effective control of Michael’s music” while diversifying its assets. According to the summary, all three children had previously consulted with their lawyers and had no objections to the sale.

“I don’t think I can resolve it today,” Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff, who will retire next month and has presided over various Jackson sentencings for the past 15 years, said on March 22. “I was hoping that maybe you all could work it out on your own.”

But since that failed, he announced that a new judge would oversee the case.

Michael Jackson performs to an estimated crowd of 60,000 in Brunei on July 16, 1996.

FRANCIS Sylvain/AFP via Getty

In the filing, the executors claim that the estate was burdened with debt and on the verge of bankruptcy when Michael Jackson died in June 2009.

“Exercising the powers granted in Michael’s will, which were upheld by the probate court, they entered into business transactions involving estate assets that skyrocketed the estate’s value to more than $2 billion,” according to a recent appellate filing. In court, the executor’s lawyer, Jonathan Steinsapir, accepted this claim and thanked the judge for providing guidance over the years to make the estate so profitable today.

Remembering the life of Michael Jackson in photographs

“You may not be the judge who finally lands this plane, but we’re definitely getting closer,” Steinsapir said. “We haven’t had a dispute like this for years – and it didn’t so big slow — but we just wanted to thank you.”

Short estate claims Katherine was the only party to file a written objection to the sale of the megastar’s property. According to the estate, she believed they had not exercised “usual care and diligence” and argued it was better to “wait a few years to maximize value”. According to the brief, the estate also claims that Katherine felt the executors did not study the “transaction” enough to determine fair market value and that the estate should have “received a premium payment.” According to Billboard, the music assets are estimated at over $1.2 billion.

The Jackson estate could not be reached for comment. Representatives for Katherine and Bigi have not yet responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Bigi Jackson attends the annual THRILLER NIGHTS Halloween Party on October 28, 2022.

Kevin Winter/Getty

In December, Katherine filed motions asking the estate to pay her legal bills stemming from her objections, including the ongoing appeal case. In court filings obtained by PEOPLEBigi argued that the estate should not foot the bill, arguing that it would be “unfair” to force him and his siblings to pay for the case as his grandmother’s efforts were “extremely great”.

Michael Jackson’s son Bigi says estate shouldn’t pay his grandmother’s legal bills in dispute over $600 million catalog deal

However, according to court records, Bigi is not completely against his grandmother’s request. He “does not object to reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs” for her initial opposition to the deal because she presented “substantial evidence.” But he believes “the total amount for the trial could be high” and questions whether “four attorneys charging $840 to $1,400 an hour were necessary.”

After the filing, Jackson’s nephew Taj Jackson posted social media in support of Katarina. “Fair warning: keep talking bad and low kicking my 93 year old grandma and my gloves will come off. Do you really want me in this ring? #FamilyFirst.”

Paris Jackson in 2023; Michael Jackson in 2005.

Justin Sullivan/Getty

During closing arguments in court last year, Bigi — for the first time — objected to the estate’s proposed transaction with Sony in support of his grandmother and sister Paris, but his attorney later revealed that it was a “mere semantic device” that allowed the probate court to “evaluate personally [the transaction] for my client.”

Jackson’s daughter Paris appeared briefly on Zoom and said she was “with my grandma and my little brother [Bigi] But after the judge approved the transaction, Jackson’s three children accepted the court’s decision, while Katherine was the only family member to file an appeal, which is currently pending.

“Given these prospects, Bigi has decided not to expend his resources on participating in the appeal,” his attorney said in a recent court document filed March 18. “Regardless, Katherine has decided to appeal this court decision. That decision is not in favor of the heirs.” The estate also noted that Katherine objected to the release of the 2009 documentary That’s itbut the film, which was eventually approved by a court, became the highest-grossing documentary film in history (more than $260 million worldwide), a record it held until the release of Taylor Swift’s film Eras Tour last year.

Katherine is a lifetime beneficiary of a portion of the trust, and a source close to the estate says she has received more than $55 million since the singer’s death. “Almost none of Ms. Jackson’s claims for her care or support have been denied,” the estate claims in new filings, obtained by PEOPLE, which argue that it should not cover her legal bills.

“There are a few things I wanted to point out,” Katherine’s attorney, Adam Pines, said in court Friday, once again asking the estate to pay half a million dollars in legal fees Katherine racked up while appealing last year’s decision.

“The main argument of the bailiffs is that their hands are tied, that the money is stuck in the mass, that it cannot yet be distributed to the trust and all these things that could happen. But we also live in reality, they just received their accounting for 2020 . — one year — and they have $35 million in distributions from the estate, including $2.3 million for public relations consultants. Millions and millions of dollars they pay out,” he said, pausing briefly.

“But when they say, ‘Oh, we can’t pay for it, our hands are tied and the procedural requirements are not met,’ I don’t think that’s fair,” he continued. “Katherine’s taxes were paid $5 million this year. I appreciate them doing that, but it’s certainly confirmation that they can pay this amount.”

Michael Jackson in 02 Arena 05.03.2009.

MJ Kim/Getty

“I didn’t say it was fair and I didn’t say it was the right position,” Judge Beckloff replied. “I just can’t get there because of the state defendant and the disputed facts. I don’t think it’s a situation where we can all say there are no disputed facts and the court can just decide this matter. I’m not saying either side is right in to this. I’m just saying that I can’t jump procedural hurdles to make a decision. And, you know, Bigi has made it clear that, in his opinion, the appeal fees are not reasonable.”

The next hearing will be scheduled no later than May 30, 2024.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education