Paris Jackson has accused the executors of her late father Michael Jackson’s estate of bullying her amid an ongoing legal dispute over financial management.
Court filings reveal that Paris claimed the estate’s executors, John Branca and John McClain, submitted legal documents that “mock and belittle” her while dismissing her concerns about how estate funds are being handled. The disagreement reportedly centres on payments made to external law firms, with Paris questioning the approval process behind substantial fees and bonuses.
In response, Branca and McClain argued that Paris and her legal team have been spreading misleading information and exaggerating routine court proceedings as major victories in her favour. They also insisted that their leadership helped turn the estate from massive debt into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, from which Paris has greatly benefited.
In her latest filing, Paris pushed back against claims that her actions are influenced by lawyers or media attention, stating that the legal battle has been “painful” and distracting from her personal life and career.
She further alleged that the executors have used the media to criticise her, describing some of their remarks as “sexist,” including comments portraying her as “strutting” into court and referring to themselves as the “grown-ups” compared to her and her siblings.
Paris also claimed the executors are using her father’s own funds to challenge her publicly and pressure her into withdrawing her stance.
The estate’s lawyer, Jonathan Steinsapir, previously defended the executors, maintaining that all financial decisions were properly approved and that no payments had been rejected by the court. He added that the executors have acted responsibly, noting that Paris has already received about $65 million from the estate and is expected to inherit much more.
According to the estate, it has grown from roughly $500 million in debt at the time of Michael Jackson’s passing into a multi-billion-dollar business.