Nearly fifteen years after the death of pop superstar Michael Jackson, his estate remains a battleground for his formidable assets. The legal entanglement involves Jackson’s youngest son, Bigi (formerly known as Blanket) his grandmother, Katherine Jackson, and the financial management of the late Jackson’s estate.
At the heart of the dispute is a $600 million deal involving Michael’s music catalog, which Katherine sought to challenge despite the executor’s decisions, opening the door to significant legal costs and familial strife. Bigi’s legal challenge against his grandmother includes challenging her request for the estate to cover her $500,000 legal fees.
This process brings back to light the deep-seated tensions within the Jackson family. Bigi, now 22, along with his siblings Prince Michael and Paris, have been vocal about their concerns, suggesting that the continuous legal wrangling could threaten the careful stewardship that has revived Michael’s reputation and estate value (Michael’s debts had left it nearly half a billion dollars in the red at his time of death).
The estate, now valued at over $2 billion thanks to family management, faces risks from these challenges of claims. “It’s sad because at one time the kids had a very loving relationship with their grandmother, but now there’s so much animosity,” notes a source close to the family.
The Jackson family’s internal dynamics continue to attract public attention. The narrative shifts from the preservation of Michael’s artistic legacy to a stark portrayal of a family divided by financial and emotional dilemmas. “Fair warning: Keep bad mouthing and throwing low blows at my 93-year-old grandma and my gloves will come off,” tweeted Tito Jackson’s son, Ta.
