Paris Jackson asks judge to release 600 million to family trust
Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson has requested $600 million be released to a family trust set up to benefit her and her brothers.
Paris Jackson has requested $600 million be released to a family trust set up to benefit her and her brothers.
The 28-year-old musician has submitted a new court filing, in which she argued the Michael Jackson Estate has generated billions of dollars since the Thriller hitmaker died in 2009 but the Michael Jackson Family Trust, which was intended to provide for his three children, has yet to receive its funding, and wants a judge to order a partial distribution of the estate's assets.
According to People magazine, the filing states that under the terms of the trust, Paris and her brothers Prince, 29, and Bigi, 24, were supposed to begin receiving income from their shares when they turned 21 and then receive further portions of money at the ages of 30, 35 and 40.
And the Star actress - who has been in a long-running dispute with the estate executors - claimed the arrangements have not been executed.
Her petition stated: “More than seventeen years after his passing, Michael Jackson’s family trust remains unfunded."
She pointed out Prince is approaching his 30th birthday, while she turns 29 in April and Bigi will be 25 in February, and Paris argued the lack of funding has left the siblings dependent on the estate's remaining executor, John Branca, and his determination of when they should receive money and how much.
The filing argued more than $1 billion has been generated for the Michael Jackson Estate through various deals, including the sale of the estate's EMI Music Publishing stake for $287.5 million in 2018, the 2020 sale of the Neverland Ranch for $22 million and a 2023 deal with Sony involving the Billie Jean hitmaker's music and other assets.
Paris' attorneys also cited an estate accounting that showed approximately $850 million in cash and cash-equivalent assets as of December 2024, with the singer-and-actress believing around $600 million is available for distribution after accounting for potential liabilities.
The lawyers also argued a request to distribute money was never filed, despite promises from the executors back in 2011.
The Michael Jackson Estate insisted they cannot fully fund the trusts until several legal matters are resolved, including ongoing litigation with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which has sought $700 million in taxes and penalties.
A statement given to People magazine read: “The Estate was able to secure a ruling to significantly reduce that amount, but the matter has not been settled and could still change."
The estate also branded claims they had withheld or reduced payments to be a "complete fabrication" and insisted more than $200 million had already been distributed for their benefit.
And under the terms of Michael's will, they claimed: “None of his children receive a distribution until they are in their 30s.”
The statement added: “The Estate looks forward to the time when all issues are resolved so that their trusts can be fully funded as Michael wanted."
Paris' representative accused the estate of "incompetence".
Her spokesperson said: “The Estate is once again deflecting from its own incompetence. Paris called for the trust to be partially funded, something Mr. Branca had the ability and obligation to do long ago. After years of delay, Paris had no choice but to step in herself."
A judge is scheduled to hear Paris' request on 4 December. She wants the court to order a $600 million transfer to the family trust, or another amount the judge determines is appropriate.
