#NNPA BlackPress

EXCLUSIVE! — Michael Jackson’s Thriving Estate Makes it a Target for Extortion Attempts

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Despite vast challenges and unproven allegations, the executors have transformed Jackson’s estate into a financial powerhouse. Following Jackson’s death in 2009, the estate was nearly half a billion dollars in debt. Through strategic deals and projects, they turned it into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. This included a blockbuster $600 million sale of 50% of Jackson’s music catalog to Sony wherein the Estate maintained control and the success of projects like “Michael Jackson’s This Is It,” the highest-grossing concert film in history.

Published

1 year ago

September 20, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

“Enough Is Enough” say Representatives to Latest Attempt

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

As we reported earlier this month, Michael Jackson’s legacy continues to dominate the entertainment industry, with his various projects collectively surpassing $2 billion in global ticket sales. The King of Pop’s influence remains unmatched, from groundbreaking concert films to sold-out Broadway shows, making his the most successful celebrity estate ever. Ironically, the greater its success the more it has faced attempts from those seeking to shake down the Estate for money.

The most recent case resulted in the Michael Jackson Estate having to go so far as to contact law enforcement officials while filing an arbitration claim in response to threats from a few longtime friends and former associates of the pop icon.

We have learned that they are now demanding $213 million from the estate threatening to release false damaging information about Jackson if their demands are not met, even though for decades they have stated Michael did nothing to them. Co-Executor of the Estate John Branca has described their actions as a blatant attempt to exploit Jackson’s legacy for financial gain at no risk of defamation because those laws don’t protect the deceased. These threats come amidst the Estate’s enormous financial success, having generated $3 billion for beneficiaries.

For 25 years these associates have steadfastly maintained Michael’s innocence. In his book, one group member defended Jackson, writing, “Michael had never acted in any way even approximating inappropriate toward us. Michael was being attacked by liars. There was nothing ambiguous about the whole thing. These people were after Michael’s money. But he was innocent.”

He reiterated this stance in numerous media appearances, including interviews with Oprah Winfrey and Wendy Williams. “I’m gonna tell you what sleepovers were like,” he told Williams. “Everybody in a room, me, and others, we would just sit up talking, us on the floor, talking until four o’clock in the morning; let’s go raid the kitchen.” In a group sit down with Oprah, another member insisted, “Michael couldn’t harm a fly. He’s such a kind and gentle soul. Michael was a target.”

Despite their public support for Jackson, the person is engaging in the very behavior he once condemned. In 2019, following HBO’s release of the controversial documentary “Leaving Neverland,” the Jackson estate was under significant pressure due to the media frenzy that spawned calls to cancel Michael. Representatives sought the group’s support, given they vouched for Michael’s character for years, and that’s when they turned. As fiduciaries, the executors’ mission is to generate income for Michael’s beneficiaries. So, they had two goals: preserve the upcoming projects while shielding his loved ones from the further pain of enduring another round of salacious, unproven allegations. The estate reached a private settlement with the group, which included $3 million for each of the five individuals. Both sides mutually agreed to keep the agreement under wraps so that even its existence couldn’t be divulged.

“In 2019, there was ‘Leaving Neverland,’ which was a complete surprise hit job,” Branca said in an exclusive interview with the Black Press of America’s Let It Be Known. “We didn’t know it was coming and weren’t asked for comment. And the media didn’t want to hear Michael’s story. MGM was threatening to cancel the Cirque show. We wouldn’t have been able to mount a Broadway show. There were a lot of things that would have gone south. We have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize the income of the estate, and our counsel insisted we sign the agreement. So, we did it with a mutual nondisclosure. And they didn’t want it disclosed either because Michael’s fans would have gone after these people,” Branca said.

The estate’s mutual nondisclosure agreement with the associates was vital in keeping the matter private and allowing the estate to move forward with projects that would ensure that future generations could share in Michael’s musical and creative legacy and that could prove lucrative for Michael’s three children, the King of Pop’s heirs. “We and they signed this nondisclosure agreement, and the nondisclosure said you can’t even tell people there’s an agreement,” Branca explained. “It was awkward because we were making a movie with Antoine Fuqua and Graham King. And we couldn’t tell anybody about it, including the filmmakers.”

The recent demand for $213 million and the threat of making salacious claims have pushed the estate to take legal action. Branca commented, “The associate’s lawyer even said to us, if you don’t meet our demands, we’re going to have to share these allegations with a wider group of people. It was a shakedown. Enough is enough.”

The estate has reported the extortion attempt to authorities and is filing an arbitration proceeding against the associates for civil extortion. Branca noted the challenge of protecting Jackson’s legacy after his death, as libel laws that protect the living do not extend to those who have passed away.

When asked, Branca addressed the racial element in the treatment of Jackson, pointing out the media’s bias. “I definitely believe there’s a racist element in the media coverage of Michael Jackson since the 1980s. I was there. Michael got so big many were jealous, especially when he bought the Beatles catalog. I remember James Baldwin having that famous quote: ‘Michael will forever pay the price for his success.’”

Jackson himself was acutely aware of the racial undertones in how he was perceived. Branca recalled Jackson saying, “Sinatra’s the chairman of the board. Elvis is the king. Springsteen is the boss. But what do they call me? They call me the Gloved One. And he says, you know that’s racist. They’re trying to keep me down.” Branca added, “I don’t think they would do this to Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon or Elvis for that matter.”

Branca has played a pivotal role in Jackson’s legacy, including his involvement in the 1985 acquisition of the vaunted ATV catalog that included the Beatles and music from other artists. “The music catalog was something that carried him through good times and bad,” Branca noted. “Michael was somewhat of a visionary because some of his advisers said it was too expensive. And Michael said, ‘Branca, get that catalog.’” This move proved to be one of the most strategic decisions in Jackson’s career, solidifying his financial future and expanding his influence in the music industry.

The partnership between Branca and Jackson extended beyond financial dealings. They shared a mutual appreciation for creativity and entertainment. Branca recalled attending a Cirque du Soleil show with Jackson. “He and I attended a Cirque du Soleil show together in Santa Monica. And he said, ‘Branca, we gotta go backstage and meet everybody.’ So, Cirque was an easy one,” Branca remembered. This shared vision later led to successful collaborations, including the Cirque shows centered around Jackson’s music.

Despite vast challenges and unproven allegations, the executors have transformed Jackson’s estate into a financial powerhouse. Following Jackson’s death in 2009, the estate was nearly half a billion dollars in debt. Through strategic deals and projects, they turned it into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. This included a blockbuster $600 million sale of 50% of Jackson’s music catalog to Sony wherein the Estate maintained control and the success of projects like “Michael Jackson’s This Is It,” the highest-grossing concert film in history. Upcoming endeavors, such as the Antoine Fuqua biopic MICHAEL starring Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, aim to solidify Jackson’s enduring influence in popular culture.

The estate has also diligently ensured the well-being of Jackson’s family. Branca confirmed that Jackson’s mother, Katherine, is well cared for. Earlier reports suggested that Katherine has received more than $60 million from the estate since her son’s tragic death in 2009. “She’s well taken care of. She’s got two beautiful homes,” Branca stated, “full-time security and a private chef. Mrs. Jackson, as she should be, is well taken care of.”

Branca reflected on the estate’s role in maintaining Jackson’s vision, saying, “We’re not Michael. We would never pretend to be. But we know what he loves. A lot of it is trying to execute Michael’s vision.” Despite the hurdles, he remains steadfast in his commitment to protecting and preserving Jackson’s legacy. “We will continue to manage the estate with the integrity and dedication that Michael deserved,” Branca affirmed. “Attempts like this to tarnish his memory for financial gain will not succeed.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

Up Next

Oakland Post: Week of September 18 – 24, 2024

Don't Miss

Access Better Health with Medically Tailored Meals – Transforming Health Through Nutrition for Medi-Cal Patients

Stacy M. Brown

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Poll Shows Support for Policies That Help Families Afford Child Care

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

Oakland Post

By First Five Years Fund

New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

The national survey was conducted by UpOne Insight on behalf of the First Five Years Fund from January 13–18, 2026.

Key findings include:

• Parents need help: 80% of voters say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either in a state of crisis or a major problem.

• This is an affordability issue: 82% believe federal child care funding will help lower costs for working families — including 69% of Republicans, 84% of Independents, and 94% of Democrats.

• And there continues to be strong support (62%) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a federal program that makes it possible for hundreds of thousands of families to afford safe, quality care for their children while parents work or go to school, including a majority of Republicans, 63% of Independents and 72% of Democrats.

• Support for funding child care programs remains strong: 75% believe child care funding should be increased or kept at current levels — including 75% of Republicans, 85% of Independents, and 97% of Democrats.

• 74% say funding for child care is an important and good use of tax dollars, including a majority of Republicans, three-quarters of Independents, and nine in ten Democrats.

FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling said, “Voters across the country are sending a clear message: federal child care and early learning programs work. These investments help parents stay in the workforce, strengthen families, and support healthy child development. They have also long had strong bipartisan support in Congress. At a time when affordability is top of mind for families, continued federal funding is essential to ensure child care remains accessible and within reach.”

First Five Years Fund works to protect, prioritize, and build bipartisan support for quality child care and early learning programs at the federal level. Reliable, affordable, and high-quality early learning and child care can be transformative, not only enhancing a child’s prospects for a brighter future but also bolstering working parents and fostering economic stability nationwide.

We work with Congress and the Administration to identify federal solutions that work for families with young children, as well as states and communities. We work with policymakers to identify ways to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning programs for children. And we collaborate with advocacy groups to help align best practices with the best possible policies. http://www.ffyf.org

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Trump’s MAGA Allies are Creating Executive Order Plan to Steal the 2026 Midterms

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

Published

6 days ago

February 27, 2026

Oakland Post

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

A group of MAGA pro-Trump activists, who say they are working in coordination with the White House, are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would claim without evidence that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential to President Joe Biden by over 7 million votes. Since Trump lost to Biden in 2020, he has repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” without evidence. The report of a group of “Trump allies” preparing an executive order to give Trump power over elections was first reported by The Washington Post.

The lies around the right-wing campaign that pushed falsehoods that the 2020 election was stolen was trafficked through right-wing media, particularly Fox News. Fox News was then sued for defamation for the claims by Dominion Voting Systems. Fox lost the case and had to settle for the largest defamation amount on record of $787.5 million in April 2023.

The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

The story in The Washington Post arrives as Trump increasingly signals that he may take actions that would alter the result of the 2026 midterms. The Republicans are widely expected to lose as their approval ratings plummet as a result of a failing economy under Trump. Over 50 members of Congress have announced they will retire this year and not return in 2027.

The Trump Department of Justice, which now has a large image of Trump on the side of it, “sued five new states Thursday [Feb. 26, 2026] demanding access to their unredacted voter rolls — escalating a campaign that has been rejected by multiple federal courts and faces resistance from Republican-led states as well,” according to Democracy Docket, a group that works to protect voting rights.

Trump claimed back in late 2020, the last year of his first term, that he had the authority to issue an executive order related to mail-in voting for the 2020 elections — which he would then lose. But the Constitution states that control of elections lies with the states. As the GOP works to place hurdles in front of voting, Democrats worked to make voting easier.

In March 2021, President Biden signed an executive order calling on federal agencies to expand voting access as part of the Biden Administration’s effort “to promote and defend the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections.”

Trump’s focus is clearly on altering the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump’s polling numbers and the elections and special elections that have taken place around the U.S. over the last year clearly indicate that Republicans are about to be hit by a blue wave of Democratic victories.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts the show LAUREN LIVE on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

PRESS ROOM: NBA Hall of Fame Nominee Terry Cummings Joins 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to Launch Victory & Values Initiative

NNPA NEWSWIRE — NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th.

Published

6 days ago

February 27, 2026

admin

Cummings becomes an honorary member, joining other role model sports stars

NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings has officially become an honorary member of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, marking a powerful new chapter for the 100 Black Men and youth development across the region.

Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th. The moment signified more than membership — it marked the launch of the organization’s transformative new platform, the Victory & Values Initiative.

The Victory & Values Initiative is a groundbreaking youth development program designed to empower elementary and middle school students through a dynamic blend of sports, mentorship, and STEM exposure. The initiative focuses on building health, discipline, character, leadership, and access to opportunity — creating pathways for long-term academic and personal success.

“This is about more than sports,” said Cummings during the ceremony. “It’s about using the platform of athletics to teach life lessons, create access, and build the next generation of leaders.”

The induction ceremony also featured notable guests including NASCAR’s newest Star Driver, Lavar Scott and NASCAR Director of Athletic Performance, Phil Horton, who joined Cummings for a powerful Victory & Values Town Hall discussion. The Town Hall was moderated by renowned Sports Emcee John Hollins and focused on leadership, resilience, discipline, and the importance of mentorship in shaping young lives.

A “Day at NASCAR” for 75+ Youth

Cummings wasted no time getting to work. On his first full day as an honorary member, he joined his new brothers of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to host a “Day at NASCAR,” escorting more than 75 youth to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at EchoPark Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

The youth participants received behind-the-scenes access including: an exclusive tour of Pit Row, access to the Garage Area and exploration of the interactive Fan Zone.

The experience culminated with a surprise meet-and-greet and Q&A session with NASCAR Superstar Bubba Wallace, who shared insights on perseverance, preparation, and breaking barriers in professional sports.

The day served as a living example of the ‘Victory & Values’ Initiative in action — exposing youth to new industries, expanding their vision for the future, and connecting them directly with high- level mentors and role models.

Building Leaders Through Access and Mentorship

The 100 Black Men of DeKalb County – a chapter of the largest, national mentoring organization in the county – continues to expand its footprint with programs focused on academic excellence, economic empowerment, leadership development, and health & wellness.

The launch of ‘Victory & Values’ represents a strategic expansion of the organization’s impact

intentionally integrating athletics and STEM to engage youth at an early age while reinforcing core principles such as integrity, accountability, teamwork, and perseverance.

“Our mission has always been to mentor the next generation,” said Vaughn Irons, President-Elect of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. “With Terry Cummings joining the brotherhood, along with partners in NASCAR and professional sports, we are creating unprecedented access and exposure for our youth. Victory & Values is about turning inspiration into structured opportunity.”

By connecting elementary and middle school students to professional athletes, executives, STEM professionals, and community leaders, the initiative aims to:

Increase youth exposure to careers in sports business, engineering, and performance science
Strengthen mentorship pipelines
Promote physical wellness and mental resilience
Build character-driven leadership at an early age

Open Invitation to Youth and Families

All youth are invited to participate in the Victory & Values Initiative, along with the other countless, impactful programs offered by the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County.

Parents and guardians seeking mentorship, leadership development, academic enrichment, and transformative exposure opportunities for their children are encouraged to connect with the organization.

As NBA Legend Terry Cummings’ induction demonstrates, Victory & Values is more than a program — it is a movement designed to build champions in life, not just in sports.

For more information about the Victory & Values Initiative or to enroll a student, contact: 100 Black Men of DeKalb County at Phone at 404.241.1338, info@100bmod.org or Tee Foxx at 404.791.6525,