In the lead up to the long-awaited release of the new Michael Jackson biopic – out in theatres on April 24, 2026 in the U.S. and the U.K. – accusations of Jackson as both a sexual abuser and trafficker continue to foment a damning shadow over the King of Pop’s legacy.
The Jackson estate recently won a procedural legal victory in an ongoing dispute with the Cascio family, a self-described “second family” to Michael, made up of a mother, father, and five siblings. A California judge ruled that the Jackson estate can compel arbitration in its conflict with Frank Cascio, one of the siblings, whom the estate accuses of attempting a $213-million extortion scheme. The ruling means the dispute will be handled privately through arbitration rather than in open court. It’s worth noting that the remaining four Cascio siblings have filed a separate lawsuit alleging Jackson abused them as children and accusing the estate of pressuring them into agreements that restricted them from speaking publicly. Lawyers for the estate deny the allegations and describe the claims as financially motivated. Thus, this story is far from over.
For years the Cascio family had publicly defended against the sexual abuse allegations being made against Michael. Frank Cascio even wrote a book in 2011 that “refutes the rumors, lies, and accusations that have accumulated over the years.” And yet, the Cascio family has since fully reversed their stance on Michael’s innocence, claiming that the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland “deprogrammed” them. Is this how trauma works? Or is this how duplicitous and opportunistic humans work?
