Paris Jackson is now seeking an extra $463,752 from the executors of her father Michael Jackson’s estate after a judge ruled that over $600,000 in bonus payments made to outside law firms must be returned to the estate.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Paris claims the additional amount reflects interest that accumulated on the funds allegedly owed by estate executors John Branca and John McClain.
“The law is crystal clear: when funds are misappropriated, they have to be paid back — with interest,” a representative for Jackson told TMZ. “There’s no reason John Branca should get special treatment from our legal system, and that’s why Paris’ team is filing this procedural motion asking for the Executors to cover the costs of their own mistakes.”
The latest filing arrives just one week after Paris secured a courtroom win when a judge rejected $625,000 in bonus payments made to outside attorneys and ordered Branca and McClain to return the funds to the estate.
In response, a spokesperson for Branca and McClain defended the payments in a statement, saying: “While the Court has previously approved several other bonuses to outside counsel over the years for their extraordinary services, and this was the first time they were the subject of objections, the executors have always understood that legal fees are subject to court approval and have always required outside counsel to agree to return any funds to the estate if the payments were not approved.”
Meanwhile, a representative for Paris praised the judge’s decision in a statement to People, calling it a victory for the “transparency and accountability measures Paris has fought for.”
“The Jackson estate is supposed to be a prudent, fiscally responsible entity that supports the Jackson family – not a slush fund to help John Branca live out his Hollywood mogul fantasies,” the statement read. “After months of engaging in sexist, scorched-earth tactics against a beneficiary, it’s time for John Branca to acknowledge his many missteps and act in the best interest of the family he has a fiduciary duty to protect.”
The dispute marks another chapter in the ongoing tension between Paris and the executors overseeing Michael Jackson’s estate. Paris previously accused Branca and McClain of submitting court filings that “mock and belittle” her, while the executors have argued that she has been “more interested in playing to the media” by spreading inaccurate information.
