Four adult siblings have filed a $200 million federal lawsuit against Michael Jackson’s estate, alleging that the late pop music icon groomed, drugged and raped them in the 1990s, multiple news outlets report.
The Cascio family — brothers Edward, Dominic and Aldo and sister Marie-Nicole — says they met Jackson through their father, who worked at a luxury hotel.
Their lawsuit alleges the abuse occurred at several locations, including Jackson’s Neverland Ranch, Elizabeth Taylor’s home in Switzerland and Elton John’s home in England, during Jackson’s “Dangerous” and “HIStory” world tours.
The Cascios were once defenders of Jackson and referred to him as “second family,” but the siblings came forward with abuse claims after watching the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland” in 2019.
The lawsuit says “Jackson’s years of brainwashing prevented Plaintiffs from seeking help when he was alive and for years afterward, or even comprehending the despicable behavior they endured,” USA Today reports.
The Jackson estate settled with the siblings for an undisclosed sum in exchange for confidentiality, but the Cascios are now seeking to void that settlement.
Jackson estate attorney Martin Singer called the lawsuit a “desperate money grab,” saying it contradicts public statements the Cascios’ made defending Jackson.
