Michael Jackson’s mother has acquired a fortune worth tens of millions of dollars since her son’s death, allowing her to hire her own lawyers, according to MJ’s estate.
A representative for the estate confirmed to TMZ that they have filed legal documents in their ongoing disagreement with Katherine Jackson over attorney’s expenses that she is attempting to have the estate reimburse… over a settlement made by the estate itself, which she is now disputing.
TMZ has seen the document, and it lays out some financial information that, if true, is extremely stunning.
According to the complaint, Katherine has received a large amount of cash and other benefits since Michael’s death in 2009, with the estate executors estimating that all totals more than $55 million over the course of nearly 15 years.
A significant portion of the money, according to the estate, is in the form of a monthly stipend provided by MJ’s estate to Katherine, which totals more than $160,000 per month.
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According to the estate, that allowance, together with additional cash contributions, accounts for $33 million of the $55 million total.
Furthermore, the documents suggest that Katherine is well-cared for by the estate, which claims to have spent more than $15 million to purchase and refurbish her luxurious property, as well as pay for her transportation and other benefits like as a private gardener, chef, and security.
The estate executors are laying this all out to bolster their argument that Katherine can afford to pay her own attorney’s fees as she pursues her appeal to fight a massive business deal struck by the estate… which she and Michael’s son, Blanket, were fighting together until recently.
It’s unclear what that deal is, but it appears to be tied to the estate’s blockbuster deal with Sony to buy half of MJ’s song collection for nine figures.
We broke the story. Blanket submitted legal documents earlier this week stating that he, too, believed Katherine should pay her own attorney’s expenses for the appeal — and that the estate should not bear the cost.
Blanket was on Katherine’s side until a judge ruled against them, at which point he thought an appeal was unnecessary.
Blanket has now stated that he wishes to withdraw from the fight, leaving Katherine to handle the appeal alone.
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