Michael Jackson's relatives paid $2.5 million to the family that accused him of sexual assault.

Michael Jackson's relatives secretly paid $2.5 million to members of the Cascio family, who had previously accused the artist of sexually abusing them as children, according to the Financial Times, citing receipts and private correspondence.

According to the newspaper, the payment "marked the completion" of a £13 million (over 1 billion rubles or $16.5 million) settlement reached with accusers in 2020. However, Cascio's family intends to challenge the terms of the settlement, claiming they were pressured into agreeing to unfavorable terms. They are seeking £160 million in damages and also want to "tell their story publicly." The iconic singer's heirs, for their part, call these claims false and accuse Cascio of attempted extortion.

The Financial Times notes that the parties will meet in Los Angeles Superior Court on November 6. The hearing will determine whether the proceedings will be held in camera or in public.

Previously, five of the Cascio siblings claimed that Jackson, who was close friends with their father, Dominic, allegedly abused them both at the family home in New Jersey and at his Neverland ranch in California. The eldest brother, Frank Cascio, worked as Michael's personal assistant for a long time, publicly defended him in similar scandals, and even wrote a book titled "My Friend Michael: An Ordinary Friendship with an Extraordinary Man."

As a reminder, Michael Jackson was first accused of pedophilia back in 1993. He was accused of molesting Jordan Chandler, who was 13 at the time. However, the case was dropped after Jordan's father reached a $23 million settlement with Michael. In 2003, several more people came forward with accusations against Jackson, including his subordinates and housekeepers. They later dropped the charges.

Michael Jackson died at age 50 from an overdose of a powerful anesthetic. His physician was found guilty of causing the "King of Pop's" death.

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