2019
March : The MJ Estate lawyers contact Frank Cascio and his family to ask them for support. Despite having a decades-long friendship with Michael Jackson, and after years of passionately defending Michael against false and scurrilous allegations made by third parties, Frank and his family decide to exploit the negative publicity following the release of Leaving Neverland in order to try to profit from making their own specious allegations against Michael. To do so,
Frank’ representative insist on meeting with MJ Estate representatives at the Sunset Marquis Hotel swimming pool wearing only bathing suits so that MJ Estate representatives could not wear a “wire” to record the conversation.
Following this bizarre meeting, Frank’s lawyer informs MJ Estate lawyers that the Cascios intend to repudiate their prior support of Michael and manufacture false and specious allegations against him unless they were paid money, as well as to counter the negative press surrounding the film, MJ Estate sought to make a life rights and consulting deal to acquire content that the Respondents and other parties to the Agreement had accumulated during their decades-long close friendship with Michael, including home movies showing Michael’s warm and happy interactions over the years with his “second family” during Christmas, holidays, and other occasions. However, Respondents used the negative media frenzy as an opportunity to enrich themselves.
December 22 : A representative employed by attorneys for the Estate flies
to New Jersey to meet with the Cascios, where he read a purported settlement agreement aloud to them. The Cascio siblings sign rhe agreement. Franck is not present.
2020
January 10 : On the recommendation of counsel with respect to their obligation as fiduciaries, The MJ Estatate reluctantly enters into a Confidential Acquisition and Consulting Agreement with Frank Cascio and his family. Thereafter, the Agreement is modified by a Letter of Direction dated January 28, 2020, which adjusted the timing of certain payments to be made to the parties under the Agreement and directed where certain payments should be sent, but the Agreement remained the same in all other respects.
2024
July : After receiving consideration from MJ Estate pursuant to the Agreement, Frank Cascio’s lawyer asks for $213 Million more. Respondents threatens that unless they are paid hundreds of millions of dollars, they will go public with bogus, false accusations about Michael Jackson.
August 29 : Frank and the other Respondents try to pressure MJ Estate into submission with a menacing extortionate threat (communicated through his lawyer), asserting, “We expect a substantive response by end of day tomorrow. Otherwise, we will be forced to expand the ‘circle of knowledge’ so my team can prepare a complaint.” The email continues with an ominous rhetorical inquiry whether “the materiality of this claim has been revealed by the estate to the buyer of the catalogue.” This is a transparent threat to go public with spurious damaging accusations in the guise of a sham public lawsuit and to damage the value of the Michael Jackson music catalogue, unless MJ Estate agrees to satisfy the astronomical financial demands, notwithstanding that MJ Estate has already paid Respondents to put an end to the 2019 shakedown in exchange for terms including confidentiality, comprehensive releases, and agreement to mandatory arbitration of all future disputes.
September 17 : As a result of Frank’s threats to breach the Agreement’s binding and mandatory confidential arbitration provisions by threatening a public lawsuit, the MJ Estate files a Demand for Arbitration against Frank asserting claims for civil extortion, anticipatory breach of contract, and declaratory relief.
September 20 : EXCLUSIVE: Michael Jackson’s Thriving Estate Targeted in $213 Million ‘Shakedown’ Effort.
September 23 : Howard King, counsel for Frank, sends a demand letter to one of the Officers of MJC and Co-Executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson, demanding that he issue a public statement refuting certain information published by the media. Implicit in Frank’s legal demand was the threat that unless the public statement requested by Frank was issued, Frank would file a public lawsuit against one or more of the Co-Executors of The Estate of Michael Jackson in a transparent attempt to circumvent the mandatory arbitration provision in the Agreement and as a pretext to disclose confidential information in breach of the Agreement.
September 24 : A Supplemental Demand for Arbitration is filed, adding an additional claim for declaratory relief against Frank Cascio with respect to his alleged defamation claim against against one of the Officers of MJC and Co-Executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson.
October 01 : Frank Cascio’s attorney delivers an envelope to MJ Estate counsel, containing a pair of draft lawsuits riddled with outlandish scurrilous allegations that are completely inconsistent with what Frank and his cohorts had insisted
for years in their unyielding defense of Michael. Ominously, the envelope contains no cover letter or explanatory note. It was apparent that the delivery was a threat to file a public lawsuit in court (and not in confidential arbitration as contractually mandated) containing the incendiary accusations unless Respondents’ demand for hundreds of millions of dollars was satisfied.
2025
January 03 : Frank Cascio’s lawyer, Howard King, notifies Signature Resolution that Frank and other Respondents intended to assert counterclaims against MJC, Branca and other individuals and entities related to Michael Jackson, including presumably for defamation. Thus, the Respondents have clearly acknowledged through their then-attorney that any affirmative claims they may have against MJC and the released parties under the Agreement must be resolved pursuant to arbitration.
May 15 : The parties participate in a mediation at JAMS before the Honorable Dickran Tevrizian (Ret.). The matter does not resolve, but the mediation is not terminated, and settlement discussions continue.
July 08 : In a dramatic petition filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on July 8th, the Estate of Michael Jackson accuses Frank Cascio of masterminding a jaw-dropping extortion plot demanding up to $213 million, threatening to flip decades of fierce public support into salacious allegations about Michael. For over 30 years, the Cascios, Frank, his siblings Eddie, Dominic Jr., Aldo, and Marie Nicole, were by Michael’s side, vacationing with him, enjoying lavish gifts, and repeatedly defending his innocence on global TV.
July 09 :
Michael Jackson Estate Identifies ‘Extortionate’ Abuse Accuser as ‘My Friend Michael’ Author
Michael Jackson Estate Files Court Petition Alleging $213 Million Extortion Plot by Frank Cascio
Court document for the Estate to compel arbitration to Frank Cascio and his cohorts via The Blast.
July 10 : The Estate Goes Public About Frank Cascio
Taj Jackson : “My brothers and I tried to warn you guys over a decade ago about this family. They lost all respect from me when they chose to purposely scam the public with fake Michael Jackson songs, sung by a sound a like. Then even went on Oprah to help sell this lucrative lie to the world. Money and greed can do horrible things to weak people. I’m so disgusted but not surprised unfortunately. They sold their soul and integrity awhile ago. I’m just pissed that my uncle wasted so much time, energy and money with these vultures.”
TJ Jackson : “It disgusts me how deceitful vultures can be. They act like they are true and real but they aren’t. They only care about themselves and the money they can make off of their connection to achievers. I’ve seen this so many times it’s not even surprising anymore. #anythingformoney”
October 06 : Mark Geragos files a legal memorandum on behalf of Frank Cascio, opposing the Michael Jackson Estate’s petition to compel arbitration. In essence, Geragos argues that the supposed settlement and confidentiality agreement the Estate relies on is void and unenforceable under California law and public policy. He claims it was designed to silence victims of Michael Jackson’s alleged sexual abuse and therefore violates statutes prohibiting nondisclosure agreements related to sexual misconduct. The brief alleges the Estate coerced and manipulated the Cascio family—longtime associates of Jackson—into signing the agreement in 2019–2020 under emotional duress and without legal counsel. It accuses the Estate of breaching the agreement itself by publicly filing confidential details and misusing the court system to “smear” Cascio. Geragos asks the court to deny arbitration, void the agreement entirely, and stay any pending arbitration, framing the petition as a bad-faith effort to suppress victims and protect the Estate’s financial and reputational interests.
October 30 : Michael Jackson’s Alleged Victim Accuses Estate of Attempt to Smear Him After $44 Mill ‘Shakedown’ (Exclusive)
November 07 : Cascio Cries Pressure, Estate Cries Shakedown, Trailer Steals Spotlight : “In a declaration dated October 27, Frank Cascio, once part of Michael Jackson’s inner circle, claimed, “In late December 2019, I learned that [members of my family] had already signed a settlement agreement with the Estate but that the agreement would not become effective absent my signature.” According to him, chaos was already brewing at home: “At the time, my family was in severe turmoil, and the agreement appeared to offer them a sense of closure. Knowing that, I felt immense pressure to sign as well, to avoid causing more conflict within the family during this unbelievably difficult chapter.” Cascio said he has struggled with reading comprehension since being diagnosed with dyslexia in fifth grade and struggled to understand the contract: “I had difficulty understanding many of its terms, particularly the legal concepts.”
Cascio’s sister, Marie-Nicole Porte, backs his version, saying the estate rushed them into a single-copy, read-aloud agreement in a private room above their father’s restaurant. She describes feeling powerless and pressured: “I had no lawyer… It was a take-it-or-leave-it situation.” She also claims the family “realized” they’d had similar experiences with Michael Jackson and the Estate quickly tried to shut them down.
December 01 : The Cascio hearing has been rescheduled again; this time until January 14, 2026.
HISTORY
Dominic Cascio met Michael in 1984 when he was working at a hotel in New York City. Dominic managed the suites where Michael used to stay when visiting, and the two soon struck up a friendship.
Dominic invited Michael to his home in New Jersey to meet his wife, Connie, and their children. It wasn’t long before Michael became a regular visitor and started referring to the Cascios as his second family. They say Michael was humble and never acted like the superstar that he was, often joining them for turkey dinners and long talks around the kitchen counter.
“It was funny because he would just come up and enjoy family dinners and just be part of the family,” says Eddie, 28, who was just 3 years old when he first met Michael. “He would always make sure that before every meal we always say our prayers, say grace, and even afterward we’d have sit-downs and we’d all go through and just talk about what we’re thankful for. Those types of memories that we all have are just really priceless, because that was Michael.”
Although it may seem like an impossible secret to keep, the Cascios say they were able to hide their friendship with the King of Pop from most of the world.
“Michael was very private, and he saw the warmth and how we respected him for who he was and how he just didn’t want us to be that family that goes out and, you know, talks about Michael Jackson,” Eddie says. “And we never did that.”
The family says they also used to celebrate Christmas with Michael. While the Cascios say the superstar never showered them with lavish gifts, they did exchange Christmas presents with him each year. They say Michael loved books, art and Disney paraphernalia.
After Michael had his own children, the Cascios say they continued to be a big part of Michael’s life. They say they were even there for the birth of his children.
“He trusted no one but us. … Other than the nanny, we were the other family that he left the kids with,” Connie says.
The Cascios say they weren’t just there for Michael during the good times—they stuck by him through the bad times too. In 1993, Michael was accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy—a charge that was settled out of court for $22 million. Then, in 2003, Michael was arrested and charged with seven counts of child molestation. He was eventually acquitted on all counts.
The Cascios say they never believed the charges against Michael, but as a father, Dominic says he had to ask his children if any improprieties had occurred. When he did, he says they insisted nothing had happened. Today, Frank, Eddie and Nicole Marie still say no improprieties ever occurred between them and Michael.
“Michael was a target. And, unfortunately, he was targeted,” Eddie says.
During the summer of 2009, Michael was preparing for a series of comeback concerts titled This Is It. The shows would have been the superstar’s first since his HIStory World Tour in 1997. Less than three weeks before the tour was set to kick off, Michael passed away after suffering cardiac arrest.
Since Michael’s death, there have been reports that Michael was addicted to drugs, but the Cascio family says they never saw any signs of drug abuse. “It was unfortunate to learn of the so-called problem or addiction that we now know he suffered from,” Eddie says.
The family says they spoke to Michael just three days before he died, when he called their home on Father’s Day. They say his death has been hard on all of them. “It’s an everyday battle that we all have,” Connie says. “We all mention his name all day—at least once a day we mention him—because we actually can feel him in our home.”
Dominic “King Dom” Cascio : Father
Connie Cascio : Mother
Franck Cascio : Born in 1980
Eddie “Angel’ Cascio : Born in 1982
Dominic “Little D” Cascio Jr : Born in 1986
Marie Nicole Cascio : Born in 1988
Aldo “Baby Rubba Cascio : Born in 1990
Jackson Dynasty 