December 1st 2003. Michael Jackson had broken all the records with his "Thriller" album. Many of his albums once generated tens of millions of dollars in sales, and he has made a fortune in buying the rights in popular songs after taking advance from formal Beatle Sir Paul McCartney.
Sir Paul has publicly stated that he regretted the advice he gave to Michael as the King of Pop actually out bided Paul on his own songs he was looking to buy the rights back on.
Forbes estimated his stake in Sony/ATV to be worth at least $350 million which includes catalogs for the Beatles and many Elvis Presley songs. Jackson bought ATV in 1985 for about $47.5 million and in a brilliant move sold it to Sony for about $95 million in 1995, retaining half interest!
Michael Jackson has an extravagant lifestyle and many of us were able to see him on a wild shopping spree in Las Vegas buying paining, urns, chess sets, and other items for millions of dollars in a matter of minutes. The opinion of most people we interviewed who saw his lavish shopping spree at the Venetian gift shop is that he bought the most garish overpriced crap imaginable, but then again, it's his money - or is it?
Even though he publicly announced he is worth "billions", Forbes magazine has estimated Jackson's net worth at only $350 million. Neverland in probably one of Michael's most valuable assets as well as one of best investments. In 1998 he paid $14.6 million for it and it is now estimated to be worth at least $50 million! The estate is not a cheap as it eats up about $3 million in annually in expenses. He also has property in Vegas, Encino and elsewhere.
It is well known that he is estimated at $200 million in debt. He has posted jewelry and his Beatles catalog as collateral for past loans and then there was the very public problem he had when he didn't pay a jeweler for a custom wrist watch worth more than many of us will make in a lifetime.
Some insider say his finances right now are so precarious he has trouble paying his bills - other experts say he is in great shape and will never worry about money due to his royalties, music catalogs and real estate investments.
We may never know the truth but it, buy it's all so much fun to speculate!
December 2nd 2003. Today was a slow day for Michael Jackson news but the King of Pop leads such an interesting life, even bringing up the past is fascinating reading for our subscribers.
Yesterday we went into some of reported financial woes and mysteries, today we will continue down that path as so many of our readers have requested.
Michael's original source of his wealth was his stellar record sales. His latest album had very weak sales domestically compared to his older albums debuting at 13th on the US charts. The good news for the King of Pop is that his album is right now #1 in Great Britain. His popularity in Europe is still strong compared to what he has become here in the US and his new album is doing great in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Michael now has to hope his legal woes clear up fast as he was expected to sell a upscale line of Michael Jackson business suits made by the Wakita Co a Japanese manufacturer.
Wakita Co. spokesman Junichi Ota said "If he is convicted, it will not be good for our image and we will have to reconsider the plan". The contracts to sell the suits were delayed because the new allegations came to light as the deals were about to be signed giving them the ability of backing out.
Other recent woes in Jackson past that may have hurt his finances are:
In March concert promoter Marcel Avram was awarded $5.3 million for pulling out of two millennium concerts.
In January, the infamous Sotheby's sued Jackson's company, saying he bid $1.3 million for two paintings and then changed his mind and refused to pay. The lawsuit asked the court to award at least $1.6 million in damages
A lawsuit filed in May by the Union Finance and Investment Corp. of South Korea claimed Jackson owed the firm $12 million in fees and expenses from 1988 when they were hired to help straighten out his finances. The firm said it soon discovered that Jackson had only two months worth of available funds and claimed the King of Pop was "a ticking financial time bomb waiting to explode at any moment.
A month before the lawsuit was settled which included a confidentiality clause, evidence of Michaels financial details were sealed by a judge.
December 4th, 2003. Looks like Michael Jackson has even more problems right now when he least needs it.
Thanks to the Foxonline reporter Roger Friedman it has been reported that Michael Jackson's current manager Dieter Wiesner has quite a checkered past.
Friedman claims that he learned through his sources that Mr. Wiesner operates sex clubs and brothels in Germany. Even though these are legal businesses in Germany, does a person who is charged with sex crimes against minors need to have someone in his entourage that has this on his resume? I think not.
Even more amazing there are fraud charges against Wiesner for selling stolen goods. He denies these charges to this day. He also has charges against him for mishandling Jackson's financial dealings in Europe. As a result of this, Michael Jackson lost control of his very valuable ''MJ'' logo in Germany and throughout Europe.
Seems to me that Michael Jackson should be looking for a new manager with a squeaky clean background!
December 5th. According to Former Santa Barbara County Sheriff Jim, even though no charges were filled there was a second child who also claimed to have been molested in 1993 by Michael Jackson. Now we are told that this case is being reexamined even though in the past the child was reluctant to testify and the case was abandoned.
Thomas said the claims of molestation were not as severe as what was being alleged by the first boy.
The first accuser Jackson secured a reported multimillion-dollar civil settlement and eventually stopped cooperating with authorities.
This second child accuser could have been used as a corroborating witness if the primary victim had testified in court. We must assume that is why his case is being reexamined now with the third accusation about to go into the court system.
December 6th 2003. The South London Times reported that Michael Jackson was due to appear for a select audience of only 2,200 at The Coronet Club this month a famous local South London music venue that would have be an exciting kickoff of Michael European tour. Organizers say Mr. Jackson was then looking forward to spending Christmas in England.
The show was confirmed just days before the arrest warrant was issued which has now wrecked his plans for him to appear since his passport was seized and he is now not allowed to leave the US.
"It was a done deal" said Gloria Haydock, president of fan club MJ News International and the woman behind the plan "he had agreed to come. We were just hours from getting his final signature when all this stuff in America broke. It's very disappointing to think of what could have been. But the invitation is still open for next year."
Michael Jackson had agreed to appear alongside children's dance troupes, tribute acts and DJs. Even with the king of Pop this concert will go without him on December 14. Even though Michael was not performing, Stuart Backerman, his official spokesman publicly stated "Michael urges his fans to attend this event, celebrate his music and publicly show the world's media how much he is loved and supported by his fans worldwide." This concert would have come just a week after Justin Timberlake is due to perform there.
The Coronet opened as a theatre in 1879 and was the spot where Charlie Chaplin made his first public performance when he was only 5 years old. It played host to music greats like Frank Sinatra before becoming a movie theater which closed in 1991.
The Coronet's managing director Simon Parkes, said Jackson's show would have been a dream start for the new venture, which opened as a live venue last night with Blur. "It would have meant we had Blur, Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson in one week. I remember when he was confirmed and I went home feeling excited about it all. Then I turned on the news."
Even if Michael is cleared of the charges, he can never turn back the hands of time and be part of this historic moment in London's music history.
December 7th 2003. Why is it that there was such a highly publicized arrest of Michael Jackson a few weeks ago, yet no charges have been filed yet? Why is it that the prosecutors are looking so deeply into the 2nd accuser in the 1993 case?
Some close to the case are saying the opening up of the 1993 case is to help make the new charges they are going to charge Michael with will stick. The question is, will they going to be able to get these old witnesses to cooperate?
Michael Jackson's arraignment is set for Jan. 9. Sources say that this late date is not a delay tactic on the part of prosecutors, but is to accommodate the defense attorney's holiday schedule. This also gives time for the media frenzy to slow down (which it already has) and maybe for the defense attorneys and their investigators to be able to dig up more dirt on the accuser and his family, which so far has not been hard to do.
Common sense dictates that the State must have what they felt was a strong enough case to go to a judge and convince him to sign a search warrant and arrest warrant. The state also knows that the world will be watching this case and being under a microscope leaves no room for error or any misjudgments. No one wants to see the case get fouled up over technicalities or punish an innocent person.
An interesting point was brought up by CBS News legal analyst and defense attorney Mickey Sherman. He is very skeptical of the whole case and noted "People who commit this type of crime don't do it once or twice. They usually are serial violators. So that would mean that if he is guilty of this, victims would be coming out of the woodwork easily the last three, four, five years. If that doesn't happen, that's a problem."
He also states in regard to the prosecutors "They had to know they were going to be micro-analyzed by not only us, but the entire world. You don't bring the charges unless you've got a case, and you don't announce it or arrest him if you don't have a case. ... I think they're waiting for new victims to come forward, which makes sense."
I like most of the rests of the world can't wait for this case to unfold before my eyes!
December 9th 2003. In a huge scoop it was found that according to a confidential memo from Child welfare investigators dated Nov. 26, 2003 found there was no basis for allegations that Michael Jackson had abused the boy now accusing him of molestation!
This shocking memo was from a regional administrator to bureau chief Charles Sophy of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. A source familiar with this amazing document confirmed its authenticity to both CBS and the Associated Press. The basis of this memo was an investigation made last February.
According to the memo the boy and his brother told the investigators from Child welfare that Michael Jackson had not sexually abused them at any time. Even their older sister who was privy to many of the encounters between her brothers and Michael said she claimed she had never witnessed anything inappropriate from Michael Jackson.
What is even more shocking than the memo is that Santa Barbara County District Attorney Thomas Sneddon said in a statement that his office has been aware of the investigation and the memo and it gave him no cause to not continue to peruse charges against Michael! The memo and other information from the investigation were provided to the judge when the search and arrest warrants were issued!
We are still confirming more information on these revelations and will break the news as soon as our sources are all confirmed. You have got to check back here tomorrow!
December 10th 2003. We scooped almost every one with the memo that could be a huge help to Michael's Jackson's defense.
Even though them memo cleared Michael as per Department of Children and Family Services investigation, after the boy who originally accused him underwent therapy and revealed in therapy that the King Of Pop did abuse him. Duty bound by law his therapist went back to the DCFS to report the allegations.
In February the accusing boy's mother stated in the investigation that "she believed the media had taken everything out of context," She also announced that the kids were never left alone. She then went on to say that Jackson would sleep on the floor in the same room that her son slept in and Jackson but never shared the bed.
We have also found that the leaked memo would probably be investigated as by state law it is supposed to be confidential to protect the identity of the minors.
What I find amazing is when the news first broke of the allegations against Michael it was top news on all of the news outlets but now hat there is evidence that could help his case, it not only was not top news, it dropped out of the headlines on most of the major internet news sites and magazines.
Want to keep a breast of what's going on with the case? Bookmark this site and check back everyday!
December 11th 2003. I cant wait until tomorrow night to watch the interview of Michael Jackson parents on ABC's 20/20 which will air t 10:00 pm EST.
From what I have been told Michael's mother Katherine Jackson will not only proclaim her sons innocence but will also offer to adopt his children if in fact he loses custody of them. We brought up the fact he could lose his children the day the news broke of his arrest warrant.
When asked if she and her husband Joe would adopt her two grandsons and her granddaughter she exclaimed "Oh yes. Oh yes." and Joe added "Well ... they're my grandkids. I have to."
According to his mother, Michael told her "Mother, don't worry, it's not the truth" and she said "But I told him you don't know these wicked people, the people are just mean and wicked."
Joe Jackson said in the interview "Knowing Michael, as a father, I know that he doesn't do things like that...his mother knows it, too."
This should be some great TV!
December 14th 2003. We have just received conformation that child welfare investigators have been trying to interview Michael's Jackson's 3 children, Prince Michael I and II, and his daughter, Paris since November 18th.
The agency has actually gone as far as to send investigators to show up at the Neverland ranch no less that 6 times but each time they arrived they were turned away empty handed without conducting any interviews as "no one was home" according to some insiders.
There is no way to know if the children were actually there or not and Michael has not been seen in public since November 18th, when he turned himself in and then took the infamous ride through Las Vegas.
It is important to understand that you do not need to be convicted of anything to be investigated and most experts unbiased opinion is that due to the nature of the charges that will be filed against Michael, it is in the best interest of the children to have experts examine them. This does not mean that they should be taken from his custody.
As we have previously reported that if Michael Jackson does lose custody the King of Pops parents have both promised to take custody of the three children.
December 16th 2003. Wow! We got scooped big time by Jeannette Walls of MSNBC who reported today that Michael Jackson's parents were paid to speak out and defend their son on ABC's 20/20 show last week.
She has reported that and insider informed her that his parents were "getting a percentage of the profit form the international sales of the interview.".
If that is not enough to make your skin crawl, his parents financial problem which is no secret, has caused them to set up a 3rd party payment system so they do not directly receive payment from ABC so the Jackson's creditors won't be able to go after the proceeds as long as they are not paid directly.
The Jackson family spokesperson and ABC refused to return calls and comment on the allegations of payment for the interview.
In the past Jackson's family was willing to speak to PBS in regard to an expose on "checkbook journalism" for $100,000.00.
Some other exciting King of Pop news is that District Attorney Thomas Sneddon said in a statement that the Santa Barbara County prosecutors announced they will file charges case against Michael Jackson on this Thursday or Friday.
They are expecting a media circus and as a result delayed filing charges which is usually done at the time of arrest. Sneddon said part of the delay was to hire a firm to handle the public relations and set up a web site to disseminate information to the hundreds of news organization that are following the case.
As expected Jackson family spokesman Brian Oxman immediately criticized Sneddon's hiring of the same firm that also represents the Cartoon Network to deal with the media. He said the hiring of such a firm was improper, because "a district attorney is supposed to try the case in court, not in the press."
Oxman said that "It is an affront to common sense, if not professional ethics, for a DA to have a celebrity crisis management team, which is what this new PR firm styles itself as being," and then went on to say "First we had a press conference where the DA told jokes, and now we have a PR firm the DA has hired that also represents the Cartoon Network."
Stay tuned here for the news as it happens!
December 17th 2003. 6:35 am News flash! What is on the controversial video tape that Mr. Raymond Norman is offering to sale to shock jock Howard Stern? Howard is bidding on the tape is claimed will blow the roof off the Michael Jackson case.
Though he started the bidding at only $75.00 and there is supposedly more than one copy of this 13 minute tape, I am still dieing to see and hear what is on this tape!
The king of All Media is know for producing stunts and someone that claims to be the head of Fox News is bidding thousands of dollars against Howard Stern who is rejecting the bids and claiming to start legal action against anyone who bids against him.
Howard's good friend and lawyer Dominic Barbera who has also represented such celebrities as Jessica Hahn as got into the on air fray but provided little help in the negotiation.
Bidding ended at $200 and now everyone will tune into Stern to hear and to his E! show to see what is on this tape.
December 18 th 2003. Today Michael Jackson was finally formally charged with a nine-count felony complaint. He is alleged to have committed seven counts alleging lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent.
These shocking molestation charges alone each carry between three and eight years in prison and ever it goes to trail will without doubt have the potential to become the most sensational celebrity case ever. In a press release Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon stated that the child will be on the stand if the case goes to trial.
Sneddon has agreed to delay Jackson's arraignment until Jan. 16 and ha has returned Michael Jackson's passport. As we reported earlier Michael's wish was to spend Christmas in Great Britain ands he is now expected to go there from December 20 th to January 6.
This is some change on circumstances since Ten months ago when; the cancer stricken boy appeared in a British documentary holding hands with Michael Jackson. Michael said in the documentary that the two had slept in the same bedroom but not the same bed. He then explained that having sleep overs with children was "sweet and innocent".
Michael Jackson became nervous after the British documentary aired and the accusing boys mother said that in order for Michael to shield the family against the press he moved her and the children out of their Los Angeles home for private jet rides to fancy hotels in Palm Beach, Florida, Westlake Village, California, and finally to Jackson's ranch, where and when the mother says the abuse occurred. She r also told attorneys she "felt held against her will" and had trouble getting personal belongings returned.
We just learned that the most serious of the crimes were alleged to have happened after the boy's mother had signed an affidavit and videotaped a statement swearing nothing improper happened with her son.
So far there have been No details of these alleged acts however the complaint that was filed repeatedly stated the acts were committed "with the intent of arousing, appealing to, and gratifying the lust, passions, and sexual desires" of both the child and the King of Pop and alleged that Michael Jackson in February and March had "substantial sexual conduct" with the child.
December 19th 2003. The latest news from the Jackson camp keeps getting stranger. The New York Post reported yesterday that Michael Jackson became a member of the black group Nation of Islam organization led by Black Muslim Louis Farrakhan.
In what was supposed to be a Jackson family reunion this weekend at which relatives would be taken on a tour of Neverland to see damage done by sheriff's deputies when they searched the ranch, has now become an event described by Michaels spokesman Stuart Backerman as "reinforcement and support" for the entertainer as he returns to his estate after being charged with child molestation. This event was described as a combination holiday party (does he still celebrate Christmas now that he is a member of the NOI?) and thank you to supporters.
The Original guest list for Saturday's event was for about 300 people, but it is growing daily and may be double that by the time the party begins. A larger amount of yet undisclosed celebrities are expected to attend the event.
Brian Oxman, a close Jackson family friend said "It's for family and friends to say thank you from Michael to people he loves and who have supported him...t's not a party. It's not a pep rally. It's not hoopla or celebration. They wanted to do something simple and quiet and the fact that it's mushroomed into these huge proportions is just the nature of Michael's life."
In other Jackson Family news, Janet Jackson will be the featured performer during the halftime show sponsored by AOL at the Super Bowl on Feb. 1 in Houston. The gala will be produced by MTV.
"There is no bigger spectacle than the Super Bowl," said Janet Jackson "It's a unique and exciting experience that I have looked forward to for many years."
The Post went far enough to say that "The King of Pop is restyling himself Jacko X" and that "High-ranking members of Nation of Islam have been working to bring Michael into Farrakhan's flock -- and Michael's conversion is now well known in the NOI community,"
Why would the soft spoken, universal love preaching King of Pop want to become a member of Farrakhan's outspoken organization? It is well know how the NOI is so controversial because of Farrakhan's its leaders' anti-Semitic and anti-gay declarations.
Michael's brother Jermaine converted to Islam in 1989. Fox News reported that Jermaine had brought Leonard Muhammad, Farrakhan's chief of staff into Michael's inner-circle as "a bodyguard". We have been told that Jermaine and Muhammad were "making the case to Michael that he was a victim of racism and that only the NOI could save him".
The opinion of most of those that I interviewed that this move will only further alienate Michael from his core group of fans and supporters but time will tell.
December 21st 2003. Among dozens of fellow reporters and a score of fans holding signs and shouting support to Michael Jackson yesterday, I counted more 487 vehicles loads with guest entering the Neverland Ranch for Michael's "homecoming" event.
Stuart Backerman who is the King of Pops spokesman made a statement to us that "This event is to show Michael that he has the love and support of his friends and family,"
This exclusive gathering titled "You Are Not Alone" after a Jackson song, of more than 600 guests which are Michael's family, friends, various inside supporters as well as well know celebrities was the first "public" appearance of Michael since his ride through Los Vegas last month and for someone as me, the place to be.
Among the food and entertainment, friends, family and children whom Michael Jackson has helped over the years took turns giving tributes to the king of pop and showed their support in song and hand holding.
While Musician Edwin Birdsong was leaving he told us reporters that Jackson was subdued as everyone honored him "He just said "Hi," and smiled,...It was very festive and happy."
Other guests I spoke to also characterized the mood inside as upbeat and Michael Jackson looked "relaxed.".
Some of the other well know guests included rapper MC Hammer, musician Robert Townsend of the Who, tennis star Serena Williams, comedian Eddie Griffin, former baseball star Darryl Strawberry, "American Idol" host and DJ Ryan Seacrest and Actor David McKnight.
Actor Tommy Davidson served as master of ceremonies while Katherine Rogers said Jermaine Jackson performed a song and a gospel choir led by Andrae Crouch performed.
As the party was breaking up, on of the cars with an unknown passengers threw a few T-shirts that read "I support Michael Jackson" to the fans that had been waiting there all day.
December 26 th 2003. When will Michael Jackson learn not to do interviews?
Many of our readers who now do not believe in the King of Pop have told me that one of the pivotal moment of whether they believe in him or not is when he claimed in a television interview with British journalist Martin Bashir on ABC this year that his obviously surgically distorted face was only operated on 2 times and that was only for his nose so he could sing better. The same statement was said more than once: "if he would lie about something so obvious, how can we believe in what else he says?"
This time Michael was interviewed by Ed Bradley on in a Los Angeles hotel room Christmas night that he stated that "of course" he still considers it acceptable to sleep with children. Mr. Jackson then went on to say "Why not?...If you're going to be a pedophile, if you're going to be Jack the Ripper, if you're going to be a murderer, it's not a good idea. That I am not...Before I would hurt a child, I would slit my wrists."
Michael Jackson went on again to proclaim is innocence to Mr. Bradley in the interview that is scheduled to air this Sunday on CBS. His music special "Michael Jackson Number Ones." which was scheduled to air on CBS last month the day before Thanksgiving is now going to air on Friday, Jan. 2.
From what I have been told Bradley has been trying to get an interview out of Michael Jackson for quiet some time and went as far as to go to Neverland last February, but the King of Pop backed down from the interview.
CBS entertainment spokesman Chris Ender said that if Michael Jackson did not grant the interview to 60 minutes, CBS would have never rescheduled the musical special.
Jacko went on to say in the interview that in regard to Neverland ranch "I won't live there ever again," he said. "It's a house now. It's not a home anymore. I'll only visit." He claimed that the police search had been overdone and that it violated his privacy.
December 29 th 2003. Last nights 60 minutes interview of Michael Jackson by Ed Bradley has me still shaking my head today.
While there were no new revelations, I was still surprised by the interviews as a whole. Michael Jackson seemed fairly composed throughout the entire interview and the careful lighting and makeup allowed the King of Pop to have an almost normal appearance as compared to some of the less "staged" shots of him.
Basically Michael proclaimed his innocence again and complained dearly on how he was manhandled by the police and that his Neverland Ranch is no longer his home but a house to him after what he fells was the unfair treatment of his property by the police when executing the search warrant on his estate.
He complained of being handled so roughly when he was handcuffed by the Santa Barbara police that allegedly his shoulder had been dislocated and his armed bruised. He complained that "I'm in pain all the time." and can not raise his arm past a certain point and that he has problems sleeping at night with the pain. They even showed pictures of his bruised arm that was allegedly taken after his booking.
Michael Jackson clearly showed he was upset when he described how he had to go to the bathroom and was locked in a feces smeared restroom and taunted by the police for more than 45 minutes.
Through it all Michael Jackson seems very supportive of the child who is accusing him of these terrible crimes and claims that it is being done by forces other than the child and the motive is for financial gain.
One of the more interesting moments of the interview with Ed Bradley was when Mr. Bradley asked Michael for a second time if he would allow his children to sleep with a 45 year old male who is under suspicion of molestation children as he is. Michael finally answered if he knew the man he would let his children sleep with the man. I guess Michael is more trusting than Mr. Bradley or I am based upon Mr. Bradley's reaction!
Two things struck me when watching this interview. First of all I was expecting his body language to clearly indicate to me what was going on inside of him and quite honestly it was a very hard read. It was also quiet clear that if Michael does in fact have to serve time with the general population of a prison, I can't see him lasting a week.
