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Michael Jackson allegedly sexually abused victims at the homes of Elizabeth Taylor and Elton John, according to a bombshell new lawsuit.
The suit was filed Feb. 27 by four members of the Cascio family and includes the first allegations levelled at Jackson of abusing a female.
The plaintiffs are Edward, Dominic and Aldo Cascio along with their sister Marie-Nicole Porte, who had previously been called the “Thriller” singer’s “second family,” and had defended him after claims of abuse were made by others.
Their 23-page federal complaint now alleges Jackson “was a serial child predator who, over the course of more than a decade, drugged, raped, and sexually assaulted each of the Plaintiffs.” They claim the abuse started in the 90s when the children were as young as seven or eight.
Another brother, Frank Cascio, now 44, had worked closely with Jackson for years and was considered, at one time, one of his most trusted insiders. He is also part of a legal battle with the estate.
According to the complaint, Jackson raped and molested Edward “during stops on the Dangerous World Tour [1992-1993], at Elizabeth Taylor’s house in Switzerland, at Elton John’s home in the United Kingdom, and at Jackson’s Santa Barbara County, California estate, Neverland Ranch.” There is no suggestion that celebrities who owned those homes knew of the alleged abuse.
The complaint alleges Jackson “sexually assaulted Marie-Nicole on interstate and international trips, including at Neverland Ranch [in California], New York, Las Vegas, Florida, and the Cascio family’s home,” and that he “unsuccessfully attempted to sexually abuse Marie-Nicole in Bahrain,” where he lived from 2005 and 2006.
After Jackson’s 2009 death, Frank Jr. published a 2011 memoir defending him and rejecting allegations of abuse. He reiterated his defense in interviews and for years, the Cascio family were cited by Jackson supporters as proof accusations he had molested boys were false.
The family first met Jackson through their father, Frank Snr., who struck up a friendship with him while working at a New York hotel in 1984.
Jackson also allegedly raped and molested Dominic on international trips during the HIStory World Tour of 1996-1997, including in France and South Africa.
Spokespersons for Elton John and the estate of Elizabeth Taylor did not return The Post’s request for comment.
The lawsuit accuses Jackson of grooming the siblings with lavish gifts, international travel, and access to his celebrity lifestyle. It alleges he supplied them with alcohol and drugs and relied on what it calls the “Jackson Organization” of employees, advisors, and associates to conceal his conduct.
The plaintiffs bring their claims under federal sex trafficking statutes. They are also seeking to reverse a 2019 “Acquisition and Consulting Agreement,” made with the Jackson estate to pay them off, asking for more damage payments and a jury trial. The Cascio complaint demands damages “in an amount to be proved at trial.”
Jackson’s estate has swiftly responded to the allegations. In a statement issued through attorney Marty Singer, the estate called the lawsuit “a desperate money grab by additional members of the Cascio family who have hopped on the bandwagon with their brother.”
Singer noted the Cascio family “staunchly defended Michael Jackson for more than 25 years, attesting to his innocence of inappropriate conduct,” and described the filing as a “scheme to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars from Michael’s estate and companies.”
Jackson’s own three children — Prince, Paris and Bigi — had also stayed with the Cascios when they were younger, as the two families were so close.
Singer also emphasized how Jackson was “unanimously acquitted [of abuse] by a jury after a 5-month trial,” referring to his 2005 trial over allegations he had molested Gavin Arvizo when he had been 13 years old.
Singer also referenced prior financial demands allegedly made by the Cascios, including a reported $213 million through attorney Howard King and a later $40 million demand through attorney Mark Geragos, who had previously represented Jackson.
The Cascio filing comes as the estate continues to battle long-running litigation from Wade Robson and James Safechuck, two figures in the 2019 HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.”
Robson testified under oath in 2005 that Jackson had never abused him. Safechuck also publicly defended Jackson, before later filing civil claims. Both men now allege childhood sexual abuse against him and have continued litigation against Jackson’s companies.
A source familiar with that litigation said Robson’s and Safechuck’s attorney has identified another alleged female victim who has not come forward publicly but is prepared to testify in support of their case.
The source described her as a “tomboy type with short hair” and claimed she possesses a copy of what she describes as a “payoff” check allegedly written to her by Jackson years ago. Her claims have not been tested in court.
All of this unfolds as the estate — widely reported to be worth billions — prepares for the biopic “Michael,” scheduled for release in April.
Early trailers have generated significant buzz with hundreds of millions of views online. The film stars Colman Domingo, Lorenz Tate, and Nia Long, with Jackson’s nephew Jaafar portraying him. Prince is a producer on the film, and Jackson’s brother Jackie has worked closely with the estate to being it to the screen.
The estate has denied the allegations by the Cascio family. “Sadly, in death just as in life, Michael’s talents and success continue to make him a target,” Singer claimed.
English (US)