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Michael Jackson's Estate Sued for Child Trafficking by 4 Siblings Who Claim the Late Pop Star Abused Them

Four adult siblings are suing the estate of Michael Jackson for child sex trafficking, claiming that the late musician abused them when they were minors

Michael Jackson in 2005Credit: Carlo Allegri/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

Edward, Dominic, Marie-Nicole and Aldo Cascio alleged that Jackson "groomed and brainwashed" them and transported them around the world
A lawyer for Jackson's estate criticized the filing, calling it a "transparent forum-shopping tactic in their scheme to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars from Michael's estate and companies"

Four adult siblings are suing the estate ofMichael Jacksonfor child sex trafficking, claiming that the late musician abused them when they were minors.

In a complaint filed on Friday, Feb. 27, and obtained by PEOPLE, siblings Edward, Dominic, Marie-Nicole and Aldo Cascio alleged that Jackson — who died in 2009 at age 50 — "groomed and brainwashed" them using his wealth, celebrity status and network of employees and advisers.

The suit states that Jackson met the Cascio siblings through their father, who worked at a luxury hotel Jackson visited multiple times. The siblings allege that after he gained the family's trust by offering them gifts, affection and attention, the musician allegedly isolated them from many adults, gave them drugs and alcohol, exposed them to pornography and individually abused them.

"Michael Jackson was a serial child predator who, over the course of more than a decade, drugged, raped and sexually assaulted each of the plaintiffs, beginning when some were as young as seven or eight," the 23-page suit states. "The filing alleges that the abuse occurred over extended periods in multiple locations worldwide, including during visits when Jackson and his children stayed at the siblings' family home."

Michael Jackson in 1996Credit: Phil Dent/Redferns

In a statement provided to PEOPLE, attorney Marty Singer, who represents the Jackson estate, called the lawsuit "a desperate money grab by additional members of the Cascio family who have hopped on the bandwagon with their brother Frank, who is already being sued in arbitration for civil extortion."

"The family staunchly defended Michael Jackson for more than 25 years, attesting to his innocence of inappropriate conduct. This new court filing is a transparent forum-shopping tactic in their scheme to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars from Michael's estate and companies," Singer said in part.

"Statements by the Cascios, including those appearing in dozens of passages throughout Frank Cascio's 2011 book, as well as in interviews with Oprah Winfrey and others, directly contradict what is being alleged now," Singer continued. "Throughout, the Cascios consistently and repeatedly asserted that Michael never harmed any of them or anyone else. With the Estate's financial success growing, the Cascios, through two different attorneys, threatened to go public with heinous accusations that completely contradicted their previous statements defending Michael unless his Estate paid staggering sums of money."

The complaint was filed one month after the four Cascio siblings appeared in a Beverly Hills, Calif., courthouse for a related financial settlement with Jackson's estate that they described as "an unlawful agreement to silence victims of childhood sexual abuse." A follow-up hearing is set for Thursday, March 5.

In an interview published by theDaily Mailon Saturday, Feb. 28, Aldo Cascio, now 35 — along with parents Dominic and Connie and sister Marie-Nicole — opened up about the alleged sexual abuse, which Aldo said began when he was 7 years old.

"I was just sitting on the bed with him during the day, and I was just playing my Game Boy," Aldo said. "And I remember he just went to me and pulled down my shorts."

"It didn't stun me or anything. I remember being like, just keep playing my Game Boy, and he took down my shorts and started performing oral sex and I was still... I didn't ask him anything," he continued, sharing that Jackson told him afterwards that the act was how he expressed love. "This was Michael. I know Michael, I know he loves me, and I love him."

Michael Jackson at the 2003 Radio Music Awards.Credit: M. Caulfield/WireImage

The family recounted how they met Jackson in 1984, when Dominic was working as manager of the Helmsley Palace in New York, where the musician often stayed. They eventually grew close, and Dominic introduced Jackson to his wife and children.

"Michael said, 'I want to surprise the kids,' " Dominic recalled. "He arrived at their house, and Connie says he wanted to see the kids' rooms... He told jokes to the kids... he was so kind. We didn't think about it."

"He would train me to say no to any authority and the police," Aldo alleged of Jackson. "If anyone asked, 'Are you doing this?' you would say no. He would say that people think this is wrong, but they're wrong. This is real, this is love, but these people think it's wrong and I could get into trouble — they'll want to kill me... he would make me 'Promise you love me and that you'll protect me'... And so you felt responsible for helping him in any way."

Aldo also alleged that Jackson took Xanax in front of him and gave him some.

"He was a big drinker, and so the real him was this creepy monster that you felt responsible for," he claimed.

Marie-Nicole also told the outlet that Jackson stayed with the family for four months following the 9/11 attacks in 2001 — and then he began abusing her, too.

"He talked about how it's very normal for men and women to be naked," she claimed. "He asked me to take off my clothes. So, I did what he said."

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In the complaint, Edward alleged that he was sexually assaulted by Jackson during interstate and international travel, including stops on the singer's Dangerous World Tour and visits to Elizabeth Taylor's Switzerland home and Elton John's U.K. residence, as well as Jackson's Neverland Ranch in California.

Dominic claimed he was abused by Jackson in Florida, New Jersey, New York, France and South Africa — including during the pop star's HIStory World Tour — at Neverland Ranch and at the Cascio family's New Jersey home. Aldo alleged he was assaulted during international travel, at Neverland Ranch, in New York, at the family's home and more, while Marie-Nicole claimed she was also assaulted at Neverland Ranch, at their home, in New York, Las Vegas and Florida. The filing also alleges that Jackson attempted to assault Marie-Nicole in Bahrain.

"Since middle school, it introduced me to hell and my demons," Aldo said of the alleged abuse. "I realized that I might want to end my life one day."

When he learned about Jackson's death in 2009 — only three days after he last spoke to the late music star — Aldo said he felt "relief."

"I also had to act sad. I knew that I had to play this double role," he remembered. "Why did he do this to me? I hated him and knew I couldn't free myself of it. I had to live my whole life alone with this, and it was hell."

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go towww.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Read the original article onPeople

byManuel Mongo

in

February 28, 2026

Michael Jackson's Estate Sued for Child Trafficking by 4 Siblings Who Claim the Late Pop Star Abused Them

Four adult siblings are suing the estate of Michael Jackson for child sex trafficking, claiming that the late musician ab...

Max Greenfield Says It's 'Really Scary' How Easily All of His

Max Greenfield says the New Girl cast still keeps in close contact years after the finale

Max Greenfield as Schmidt in 'New Girl'Credit: Fox

NEED TO KNOW

He admits his kids don't find Schmidt as funny as fans do because "they live with it"
Greenfield also reveals his favorite episode came from season 1

More than a decade afterNew Girlfirst introduced Schmidt's precision grooming and obsessive organization to audiences,Max Greenfieldsays stepping back into that mindset still happens almost automatically — especially when he's around his former castmates.

The actor tells PEOPLE that the chemistry forged during the sitcom's seven-season run remains so intact that reunions instantly revive their old dynamic. "If you put us together in any circumstance, we go right back," Greenfield, 46, says. "It's really scary."

That enduring connection extends beyond occasional get-togethers. Greenfield says he remains in regular contact with the core group, includingJake JohnsonandZooey Deschanel, with friendships that have quietly continued long after the cameras stopped rolling.

"We all keep in touch in a really beautiful way," he says. "I was texting with Jake this morning."

Max Greenfield and Zooey Deschanel in 'New Girl'Credit: Fox

When they do spend time together, he admits Schmidt sometimes resurfaces — to Johnson's amused exasperation. Greenfield laughs, recalling how easily he slips into the character's controlling instincts, even in ordinary situations like airplane travel.

"We were on a plane together … and I'll say to the flight attendant, 'Oh, excuse me — he can't eat this,' and start organizing his food," he says. "He'll be like, 'We're not on the show anymore.' "

Revisiting Schmidt's meticulous tendencies recently for a campaign reminded Greenfield how closely the character still overlaps with his real personality. The experience, he says, reinforced his affection for both the role and the series that shaped his career.

"It's so connected to the character and who that character was," he says. "It brings you back to that role in that show."

At home, however, Schmidt's quirks feel far less novel. Greenfield sayshis children— who have seen parts ofNew Girl— view the character through the lens of familiarity rather than fandom.

"I don't think they think it's as funny as America, because they live with it," he says. "They're like, 'Ugh, I know.' "

Max Greenfield and Jake Johnson in 'New Girl'Credit: Fox

Asked whether he would ever return to Schmidt, Greenfield says the answer is easy — provided the original creative team is involved. Rather than imagining the character's future himself, he says he'd prefer to discover it through the writers who defined him.

"For sure, it would always be fun to jump back in," he says. "I would always just be really excited to see what the writers thought — where they think Schmidt would be — and then I'd jump in and do whatever that was."

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He already knows which episode best captured Schmidt at his core: season 1's "Control," which explored the character's struggle to relinquish order. The story's theme of clinging to small certainties, he says, still resonates in his own life today.

"It really, truly was my favorite episode — the one we submitted for the Emmys," Greenfield tells PEOPLE. "It just dialed in exactly this idea of these little things that we can control in our lives."

Even now, that idea remains surprisingly relevant. "As long as I know the leftovers are stored safely and stacked neatly," he adds, "then I can go to sleep at night and I'm okay."

In fact, Greenfield partnered with Rubbermaid's EasyStore containers for its "Neat Freaks" campaign, which is available now on Amazon.

Read the original article onPeople

byManuel Mongo

in

February 28, 2026

Max Greenfield Says It's 'Really Scary' How Easily All of His “New Girl” Costars Slip 'Right Back' into Old Dynamics (Exclusive)

Max Greenfield says the New Girl cast still keeps in close contact years after the finale NEED TO KNOW He adm...

Michelle Mao joined Bridgerton season 4 as Rosamund Li, stepsister to Sophie (Yerin Ha)

Michelle Mao as Rosamund Li, Katie Leung as Lady Araminta Gun, Isabella Wei as Posy Li in

NEED TO KNOW

Mao tells PEOPLE how "manifesting" helped her land the role and opens up about how she's handled the fan response to her character
"[Playing] one of the main antagonists of the season comes with its own territory of navigating the online discourse," she says

JoiningBridgertonseason 4 was both a dream come true and a product of manifestation for Michelle Mao.

The 27-year-old actress playsRosamund Liin the latest installment of the hit Netflix series, a mean stepsister to Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), and the apple of the eye to her mother, Lady Araminta Gun's (Katie Leung).

In part 1, which premiered on Jan. 29, fans were introduced to the season's heroine, Sophie, who caught the eye of Benedict Bridgerton's (Luke Thompson) when she snuck into a ball uninvited. Sophie worked as a maid in Araminta's household despiteher birthright as the Earl of Penwood's daughter.

For Mao, the response to her debut has been two-fold. "It's been mostly positive," she tells PEOPLE. "I've been having such a good time being a part of this hype train and getting to see all of the memes and the videos and the jokes." But playing "one of the main antagonists of the season comes with its own territory of navigating the online discourse and bearing the brunt, I guess, of the very real and very valid frustrations that the viewers have."

"It's the first time people are meeting me, and so navigating that has been its own little journey," she says. "And I'm getting better at not letting it get to me and just holding onto the idea that it just means you did a good job as an actor, which is a good thing. I played my part really well."

Michelle Mao as Rosamund Li, Isabella Wei as Posy Li in

She says that Netflix prepared her for what was to come. "They're super aware of that whole wider phenomenon that happens with the show, and they offer support to all the actors, and especially characters that are a little bit more susceptible to that."

During her first Zoom with showrunner Jess Brownell, Mao remembers that Brownell said, "I've been the target before," and "she did mention we have resources."

"We're all so familiar with how it works. [Fans] love really passionately, but then also when they get frustrated with things, it can also make itself known in a very overwhelming way," Mao says. "And I remember at the time, thinking, 'It's not going to happen to me. I was like, 'No, I'm sure I'll be fine.' "

She's been leaning on her costar, Leung, 38, who has her own experience with fierce fandom (Leung first appeared theHarry Potterfranchise in the 2005 movie,Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). "I did talk to Katie. She gave me a lot of advice, and she, also being one of the main antagonists of the season, also got her fair share of passionate responses, so I feel really blessed that I'm not going through it alone."

"Honestly, I think it's been great for me, because I think growing up, I was always such a people-pleaser, almost to an extent that was anxious for me," Mao continues. "And having Rosamund be kind of the first role that I'm in that breaks into public discourse a little bit, I think, was kind of like baptism by fire. It's like exposure therapy for me, where I'm like, 'Wow, I feel so free portraying this character that is unlikable, and she's meant to be unlikable.' "

Regardless of the complicated fan response, theZistar says joining the cast of the hit regency series is "such a fairy tale thing for me."

"I was such a fan ofBridgertonfrom COVID, when it came out — it's all we had. And I remember watching it and just thinking, 'Whoa.' It honestly, quite literally, was the first time I realized, maybe there is a chance that I could do a period piece." It inspired her so much that she "rented out a period dress and I shot a little video for my [audition] reel, because I was like, 'You never know when that will come in handy.'"

"I have this thing about manifesting," Mao says.

The show not only fulfilled her dream of starring in a period piece, but she was also part of a new wave of cultural conversations thatBridgertonintroduced this season, as Rosamund, Araminta and Posy (Isabella Wei) speak Cantonese on the show. "It was everything for me," Mao says. "To speak Cantonese on the show and see all the little details in the interior decor that they have for the Penwoods reflect my culture, it was kind of surreal."

"If I could go back in time to COVID and be like, 'By the way, you're going to be on this show,' she would have lost her mind."

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With part 2 now streaming on Netflix, Mao says it's "bittersweet that whole era is coming to an end," but she's ready for what's next. "I feel really acutely, I think, whatBridgertonhas done for me, because ever since bookingBridgerton, I've been working at a frequency that has never happened before in my entire career, and really it feels like such a blessing and it's so exciting."

"I really just have to keep in mind that what's happening right now is the momentum thatBridgertongives you. It's not something to be taken for granted. And it is such a blessing to be working — and it is also such a blessing forBridgertonto not be your end point, but be your launching pad."

Bridgertonseason 4 is now streaming on Netflix.

Read the original article onPeople

byManuel Mongo

in

February 28, 2026

“Bridgerton”'s Michelle Mao Reveals How She Manifested Her Role and Handled Fan Reaction to Her ‘Antagonist’ Character (Exclusive)

Michelle Mao joined Bridgerton season 4 as Rosamund Li, stepsister to Sophie (Yerin Ha) NEED TO KNOW Mao tell...

The 1995 crime film Heat starred Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and the late Val Kilmer

Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in 'Heat' (1995)Credit: Cinematic / Alamy Stock Photo

NEED TO KNOW

In 2022, Michael Mann published his book Heat 2, serving as a prequel and sequel
Heat 2 is being adapted for the screen, with production set to start in summer 2026

Heat 2is heating up!

The sequel to the 1995 crime classic,Heat, starringAl Pacino,Robert De Niroand the lateVal Kilmer, has long been in development.

For years, casting rumors have swirled about who would star in the film follow-up, and in February 2026,Christian Baleseemingly confirmed his involvement in the project.

The upcoming movie will be based on the 2022 novelHeat 2, which followed the characters before and after the events depicted in the 1995 movie.

"It's been my intention for a long time to do the further stories ofHeat," director Michael Mann toldDeadlinein January 2022. "There was always a rich history or back-story about the events in these people's lives before 1995 inHeatand projection of where their lives would take them after."

Here's what we know so far aboutHeat 2.

What isHeat 2about?

Wes Studi, Al Pacino and Mykelti Williamson in 'Heat' (1995)Credit: Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection

Heat 2is based on the 2022 novel of the same name by Mann and Meg Gardiner. The book takes place in different years, serving as both a prequel and a sequel to the 1995 action epic.

Heat 2picks up right after the movie, with Chris Shiherlis (Kilmer's character in the film) escaping Los Angeles and making his way to South America and Southeast Asia, where he becomes involved with the international drug cartel.

Another part of theHeat 2the novel is set in 1988 Chicago, and follows Vincent Hanna (Pacino's character), on the trail of a sadistic killer named Otis Wardell.

The section of the book also shows how Hanna and Neil McCauley (De Niro) almost met in the Windy City years before their face-to-face in the 1995 film.

Heat 2jumps to the year 2000, where the characters and plots from the different timelines intersect, leading to an intense showdown in L.A.

In an August 2022Rolling Stoneinterview, Mann described theHeat 2book as "a global version ofHeat."

Who is in theHeat 2cast?

The 1995Heatfeatured a star-studded cast, and the sequel is also shaping up to have A-listers on its roster.

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood have been rumored to be joiningHeat 2, and in February 2026, one actor, Bale, seemingly confirmed his involvement in the project.

According to anXpost fromGood Day Chicago's Jake Hamilton, Bale told him, "I'll be back in Chicago soon forHeat 2!"

Other actors who have reportedly been linked toHeat 2includeLeonardo DiCaprio,Adam Driver,Austin ButlerandBradley Cooper, perThe Hollywood Reporterin October 2025.

With the plots spanning multiple decades, Mann said "aging and de-aging" technology "will be very important in the film," perThe Playlist.

Who is directingHeat 2?

Michael Mann on October 15, 2017 in Lyon, FranceCredit: Sylvain Lefevre/Getty

Mann, who directed the 1995 film, is returning to helmHeat 2.

He also co-wrote the book the upcoming movie is based on, but he wasn't originally aiming for the novel to be adapted for the screen.

"It wasn't the intention, but you can't separate the two," Mann toldVulturein December 2023. "I don't know how to write novels. I do know how to write and imagine screenplays, and I wanted the novel to have a cinematic pace and a story-driven structure to it."

"What became exciting was to have them not be the people they are inHeat,but to put them through the experiences that turned them into the people that they are inHeat," he continued.

When willHeat 2start filming?

Robert De Niro and Amy Brenneman in 'Heat' (1995)Credit: Frank Connor/Monarchy/Regency/Kobal/Shutterstock

Heat 2is due to start filming in August 2026.

In a December 2025 interview withThe Guardian, Mann said, "Listen, no picture happens until it's happening, but right now we're looking to start Aug. 3."

According to The Playlist, at the 2025 Lumiere Film Festival, Mann shared thatHeat 2is "an expensive movie to make, but I believe it should be made at the proper size and scale. It's going to shoot in Chicago, Los Angeles, Paraguay and possibly some parts in Singapore."

Is there a release date forHeat 2?

As of February 2026,Heat 2does not have a confirmed release date.

Read the original article onPeople

byManuel Mongo

in

February 28, 2026

“Heat 2”: What We Know So Far About the Classic 1995 Movie's Sequel

The 1995 crime film Heat starred Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and the late Val Kilmer NEED TO KNOW In 2022, Mich...

Who is Ghostface? Let's unmask the killer in 'Scream 7' (spoilers!)

Spoiler alert! We're discussing important plot points and the ending of"Scream 7"(in theaters now), so beware if you haven't seen it yet.

Not only doesNeve Campbell's "Scream" heroine Sidney Prescott have to unmask more folks under the Ghostface costume in the seventh film, she also faces several past foes in a most unnerving fashion.

Directed by Kevin Williamson, who wrote the 1996 original movie,"Scream 7"finds Sidney living in small-town Indiana, far away from the Woodsboro murders that traumatized her childhood but made her a household name.

She's built a new life with police-chief husband Mark (Joel McHale) and teen daughter Tatum (Isabel May), though their relative peace is disturbed when Sidney gets a call from Ghostface and her frequent nemesis tracks her to their Midwestern home.

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Sidney (Neve Campbell) turns into a mama bear when her daughter is captured in "Scream 7."

Like the other "Scream" movies, the new outing features a whodunit surrounding the culprit under Ghostface's mask and a variety of cameos. Let's break down the best spoilers and answer the burning questions from the seventh installment.

What happens in 'Scream 7'?

Isabel May stars as Tatum, the 17-year-old daughter of Sidney Prescott hunted by Ghostface in "Scream 7."

In addition to getting a ring from Ghostface, Sidney gets a threatening FaceTime call from none other than the scarred face of Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard), one of the original two Ghostfaces. There's a popular conspiracy that Stu survived Sidney dropping a large 1990s TV on his head. Sidney starts to investigate and Ghostface invades the family house, going after her and Tatum. The action spills into the street, Ghostface is run over and killed by the newsvan of tabloid reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), and he's discovered to be a random escaped mental patient.

Sidney and Gale look into the institution where he lived, and a worker named Marco (Ethan Embry) says Stu was also a patient there and became friends with the escapee. While the two heroines try to lure Stu out of hiding, a pair of Ghostfaces emerge to hunt and ultimately capture Tatum, taking her back to her home for a final confrontation with Sidney.

What past cast members return in the latest 'Scream' movie?

The "Scream 7" cast showed out for the global premiere at Paramount Pictures Studios on Feb. 25, 2026, in Los Angeles.

See the stars on the black carpet, beginning here, from left, with Joel McHale, Skeet Ulrich, Celeste O'Connor, Ethan Embry, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Scott Foley, Anna Camp, Matthew Lillard, Sam Rechner, Timothy Simons, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Isabel May, Victor Turpin, Neve Campbell, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding.