Michael Jackson Allegedly Gave Cascio Children Viagra And Xanax, Lawsuit Reveals

Four siblings who once publicly defended Michael Jackson are now suing his companies and estate in US federal court, accusing them of child sex trafficking and alleging abuse that began when they were still in primary school. The reversal, from loyal supporters to plaintiffs, has reopened painful questions about Jackson's legacy and the role his inner circle allegedly played in shielding him.

The suit claims Jackson's employees enabled and concealed the alleged conduct, and that estate representatives later pushed the family into signing an agreement they say was misrepresented to them and then used to silence them.​

Lawsuit Details Alleged Child Sex Trafficking And Drugging

Edward, Dominic and Aldo Cascio, along with their sister Marie-Nicole Porte, filed the complaint in California federal court on 27 Feb. The lawsuit alleges child sex trafficking, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, breach of contract and fraud, and it seeks monetary compensation as well as a declaration that the agreement they signed can be voided.​

In the filing, Jackson, who died in 2009 aged 50, is described as '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 of them were as young as seven or eight,' the lawsuit states.

It also alleges 'Jackson's years of brainwashing prevented Plaintiffs from seeking help when he was alive and for years afterward, or even comprehending the despicable behavior they endured'.​

The complaint says the alleged abuse occurred during the 1990s, without the knowledge of the other siblings or their parents. It alleges Jackson plied the children 'with alcohol, marijuana, illegal hard drugs, and with prescription drugs, including Xanax, Vicodin, and Viagra'.​

Disputed Settlement Offer And A 'Life Rights' Agreement

The lawsuit points to negotiations that it says followed the release of HBO's documentary Leaving Neverland in 2019. The family says the estate offered 'five annual payments of approximately $690,000,' minus a 6% commission for a man they claim falsely presented himself as their representative, in exchange for signing what the suit calls an 'acquisition and consulting agreement'.​

Using the Bank of England's 03 Mar 2026 spot rate (£1 = $1.3302), $690,000 converts to about £519,000 ($690,000). The lawsuit alleges the document was described to them as a 'life rights' agreement, but that it instead released the estate 'from liability for Jackson's crimes,' and that the family would not have signed had they understood its full meaning.​

The plaintiffs also allege estate representatives contacted them around April 2024 'to increase the estate's compensation,' and that the siblings then retained their own legal counsel. After they 'demanded compensation proportional to Jackson's crimes and the harm they caused,' the filing claims the estate responded with 'false and defamatory statements' to the press.​

Estate Calls Lawsuit A 'Desperate Money Grab' Amid Arbitration

The dispute is unfolding alongside a separate legal battle over arbitration. In July 2025, representatives for the estate and Jackson's companies filed a petition against members of the Cascio family, including their brother Frank, to compel arbitration rather than litigate in open court.​

In a statement provided to USA TODAY on 2 Mar, the estate's attorney Marty Singer said, 'This lawsuit is 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.'

Singer added that the family 'staunchly defended Michael Jackson for more than 25 years,' and called the new filing 'a transparent forum-shopping tactic' aimed at extracting 'hundreds of millions of dollars'.​

Singer also said the family is seeking a 'multi-million-dollar payday,' alleging they threatened to go public unless paid large sums. He wrote that, after the release of Leaving Neverland, the estate 'reluctantly paid the Cascios $2.8 million each over five years' to protect Jackson's family and future projects. On the same 03 Mar 2026 rate, $2.8 million is about £2.1 million ($2.8 million).​

From Family Holidays To World Tours: How The Relationship Began

The lawsuit says the Cascios met Jackson through their father, who worked at a hotel where the singer 'frequently stayed'. According to the filing, Jackson and, at times, his children spent holidays with the Cascio family and stayed in their home.​

It also alleges Jackson lavished the children with gifts, exclusive theme-park visits, celebrity meetings, and trips including travel with him on his Dangerous World Tour and HIStory World Tour. The complaint says the 'manipulation and psychological and emotional abuse continued until days before Jackson's death'.