Paris Jackson Sues Father's Estate for $600 Million

Paris Jackson has petitioned a Los Angeles judge to order the transfer of $600 million from the estate of her father, Michael Jackson, into a family trust for herself and her brothers, Prince and Bigi. In court filings, Jackson argues that the trust remains unfunded 17 years after her father's death, leaving the siblings dependent on executor John Branca. She alleges that Branca has used estate funds to maintain a lavish lifestyle, citing wasteful spending on private jets, vague public relations expenses, and excessive legal fees.

Jackson further accuses Branca of financial mismanagement, claiming he omitted information regarding 18 estate-owned businesses from his latest financial report. Her legal team has questioned nearly $4 million in legal costs, $9.4 million set aside for payments to Branca and late executor John McClain, and over $600,000 in unspecified credit card and law firm expenses. Jackson asserts the estate has sufficient liquidity following a 2023 deal with Sony and the sale of Neverland Ranch and EMI Music Publishing.

The Estate of Michael Jackson denies the allegations, calling the claim that funds were withheld a complete fabrication. Representatives state that more than $200 million has already been distributed to beneficiaries and that the executors transformed an estate with $500 million in debt into a successful entity generating $3 billion in revenue. The estate argues that full funding is delayed by ongoing litigation with the Internal Revenue Service over $700 million in taxes and penalties, and that the will prohibits distributions to the children until they reach their 30s.

A judge is scheduled to hear the petition and a separate challenge regarding management fees on December 4, 2026.