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A federal judge in California has dismissed a child sex trafficking lawsuit filed against Michael Jackson's estate, ruling that the case must be resolved through private arbitration. The lawsuit, brought by siblings Edward, Dominic, Marie-Nicole, and Aldo Cascio, accused Jackson of raping and molesting them over more than a decade. Judge Hernán D. Vera's decision, reported on Wednesday (August 12), stated that the allegations, while "horrific," must be handled in arbitration due to a 2019 settlement agreement between the parties.
The Cascio siblings, who once referred to themselves as Jackson's "second family," initially defended him against similar claims but later alleged abuse after the release of the HBO documentary 'Leaving Neverland'. The Jackson estate, which denies the allegations, paid the family a $3.5 million settlement in 2019 without admitting wrongdoing. The siblings now claim they were coerced into signing that agreement, but Judge Vera maintained that such challenges should be addressed by an arbitrator.
Billboard reported that Howard King, the Cascio siblings' lawyer, expressed disappointment, noting that the family hoped for a public trial. Instead, the case will proceed in arbitration. The Jackson estate has characterized the lawsuit as a "desperate money grab," highlighting the siblings' previous public defense of Jackson's innocence.
This ruling follows a similar decision in March when a California state court ordered Frank Cascio's related claims to arbitration. The estate continues to deny all allegations of sexual misconduct, maintaining that Jackson was never convicted of such charges during his lifetime.