Seventeen years after Michael Jackson’s death, the battle over his vast fortune has taken a new turn. His 28-year-old daughter Paris Jackson has taken legal action in the U.S. to obtain the transfer of $600 million to the family trust intended for herself and her two brothers, Prince and Bigi. In a petition filed on October 29 before the Los Angeles Superior Court, she accuses John Branca, the last serving executor, of maintaining excessive control over the King of Pop’s estate, who died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50.
An estate that has generated over $2.5 billion
Since Michael Jackson’s passing, his estate has generated considerable income through exploitation of his music catalog, image, and various commercial transactions. According to court documents filed by Paris Jackson, gross revenues exceeded $2.5 billion by the end of 2024.
Among the most significant operations are the sale of stakes in EMI Music Publishing for $287.5 million in 2018, the sale of the Neverland ranch for $22 million in 2020, and an agreement with Sony in 2023 concerning music rights and other assets related to the singer.
The estate reportedly held about $850 million in cash and cash equivalents as of December 2024. After deducting potential financial obligations, Paris Jackson estimates that at least $600 million could be transferred immediately to the Michael Jackson Family Trust, the entity managing the inheritance for the three children.
In her petition, she denounces a situation persisting since her father’s death: « More than seventeen years after his passing, Michael Jackson’s family trust has still not been funded. »
Paris Jackson accuses John Branca of holding control over the money of the three children
Michael Jackson’s will included specific provisions for his children. Prince, now 29, Paris, 28, and Bigi, 24, were to begin receiving income from their respective shares starting at age 21.
They were then to gradually access the capital of their inheritance, with payments scheduled at ages 30, 35, and 40. Prince will turn 30 next February, while Paris will celebrate her 29th birthday in April 2027.
However, according to Paris Jackson, these provisions have not been applied in accordance with their father’s wishes. She accuses John Branca of exercising a « iron grip » over the family finances, deciding himself the schedule and amounts paid to the heirs.
The young woman also claims that her challenges to the estate management have led to public attacks, legal proceedings, and a reduction of several million dollars in the amounts allocated to the three children.
John Branca, Michael Jackson’s longtime lawyer, began working with the singer in 1985. After leaving his team in 2006, he resumed his role a few days before Jackson’s death in 2009. Since John McClain’s death in May 2026, he remains the sole serving executor.
A $700 million tax dispute justifies delays
Estate officials strongly deny Paris Jackson’s accusations. They state that several ongoing legal and tax proceedings still prevent the full transfer of assets to the beneficiaries’ funds.
The main obstacle concerns a dispute with the U.S. tax authority, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which initially claimed about $700 million in taxes and penalties from the estate.
Managers explain they obtained a ruling significantly reducing this amount but emphasize that the dispute is not definitively resolved and that amounts still owed could change.
They also reject accusations of deliberately reducing payments to Michael Jackson’s children, calling them a « pure invention ». According to them, over $200 million has already been distributed directly to beneficiaries or spent on their behalf since the singer’s death.
The disagreement notably concerns the difference between amounts already used for the heirs’ benefit and the capital that should have been transferred into the estate structures provided by the will.
Paris Jackson had already won a legal victory against the managers
This new procedure extends a conflict ongoing for several months. In May 2026, Paris Jackson obtained a favorable ruling regarding $625,000 in fees paid in 2018 to law firms working for the estate.
The court ordered the return of these sums after upholding Paris Jackson’s objections regarding their justification. The estate’s lawyers contested this decision but announced they would comply.
More recently, Paris Jackson also challenged John Branca’s compensation. She asked the court to reduce from 15% to 10% the share of gross revenues related to entertainment activities allocated to the executor for 2023 and 2024, reproaching him notably for delays in presenting accounts.
In her new petition, she requests the court order an initial transfer of $600 million to the family trust, while allowing the judge to set a different amount. She also demands that the estate cover her legal fees.
A hearing is scheduled for December 4 before the Los Angeles court. The court will have to examine Paris Jackson’s request and determine whether part of the assets can be transferred to the family trust despite ongoing financial and tax disputes.
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