The Michael Jackson Estate has taken legal aim at Frank Cascio, a former close friend and longtime associate of the late pop icon, accusing him of attempting to extort over $200 million with threats to leak damaging—and allegedly false—claims, according to The Blast.
On Tuesday, the estate and The Michael Jackson Company, LLC filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court to compel Cascio into arbitration, citing civil extortion and breach of contract tied to a 2020 confidentiality agreement.
“Mr. Cascio was part of Michael’s life for over 30 years, publicly defending him and calling himself family,” a spokesperson for the estate said in a statement. “Now, years after Michael’s death, he is seeking to profit from claims he once rejected as false.”
Court documents allege that Cascio’s legal team, led by attorney Mark Geragos (who previously represented Jackson), demanded a massive payout while threatening to make defamatory statements public. Martin D. Singer, the estate’s attorney, called the move “a clear case of civil extortion,” adding, “We will not stand by as Michael Jackson’s legacy is threatened by falsehoods and financial schemes.”
The estate says arbitration proceedings began in September, and they’re now asking the court to enforce the agreement and block any public disclosures that could damage Jackson’s posthumous reputation.
The legal drama surfaces just two months after Cascio was tied to separate controversies involving unpaid gambling debts and questionable behavior with social media influencers.
Two influencers, Grace Glenn and Julia Geraci, shared concerning experiences after meeting Cascio via the dating site Seeking Arrangement. Glenn said things took a dark turn when “random men came up outside our hotel saying he owed a lot of money.” Geraci added, “We thought maybe he could help us network or at least have some fun,” before realizing something felt off.
So far, Cascio—who’s 45—has not responded publicly. Back in 2017, he spoke warmly of his relationship with Jackson in a HuffPost article, saying, “We established a real friendship. We became a big family… Michael was a part of our family. Every Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthday, we made a point to celebrate together.”
