Michael Jackson Faces New Sexual Abuse Allegations From Former ‘Second Family’ Members in Lawsuit Claims

New allegations against Michael Jackson have resurfaced following the release of the biopic “Michael,” with multiple members of the Cascio family filing a lawsuit against his estate claiming sexual abuse and grooming during their childhood. The plaintiffs, identified as Aldo, Eddie, Dominic and Marie-Nicole Cascio, allege that Jackson manipulated them into acting as his defenders during periods when he faced public accusations, referring to themselves as his “soldiers.”

The lawsuit, filed in California’s Central District Court, accuses Jackson of grooming the children through code phrases such as “Can I have a meeting,” “Yogi Tea,” “Neverland,” and “Go to Disneyland” to encourage participation in what the plaintiffs describe as extreme sexual acts. According to court documents, the abuse allegedly spanned over a decade, beginning when some of the children were as young as seven years old.

The plaintiffs claim Jackson provided them with alcohol, referring to wine as “Jesus Juice” and hard liquor as “Disney Juice,” and subjected them to acts that left lasting psychological trauma. They state that for years, they publicly denied any wrongdoing in interviews and written accounts due to the conditioning they received, only later recognizing the manipulative nature of their relationship with Jackson.

A fifth sibling, Frank Cascio, is not involved in the lawsuit. The plaintiffs’ legal team argues that the delayed disclosure stems from the psychological control Jackson allegedly exerted, which made it difficult for them to speak out during his lifetime or immediately after his death in 2009. Some siblings indicated their understanding of the abuse evolved only after viewing the 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland,” which featured similar allegations from Wade Robson and James Safechuck.

Jackson’s estate has dismissed the claims as a “desperate money grab,” noting the contradiction between the current allegations and the siblings’ prior public statements defending the singer. The estate maintains that no credible evidence supports the accusations, which they characterize as part of a pattern of false claims emerging years after Jackson’s death.

The lawsuit filed against Jackson’s estate accuses the late singer of grooming, drugging, raping and sexually assaulting four of the Cascio children over the course of more than a decade.

Los Angeles Times

The case adds to the long-standing controversy surrounding Jackson’s legacy, which has been marked by repeated allegations of child sexual abuse that he denied during his lifetime and were never proven in court. Despite his acquittal in a 2005 trial, questions about his behavior with minors have persisted in public discourse, periodically revived by new claims or documentary releases.

As of the filing date, no court rulings have been issued regarding the validity of the claims. The lawsuit remains in the early stages of litigation, with both sides preparing for what could become another significant legal challenge to the management of Jackson’s estate and the interpretation of his historical legacy in popular culture.