SANTA MARIA, CA – JUNE 13: Michael Jackson prepares to enter the Santa Barbara County Superior Court to hear the verdict read in his child molestation case June 13, 2005 in Santa Maria, California. After seven days of deliberation the jury has reached a not guilty verdict on all 10 counts in the trial against Michael Jackson. Jackson was charged in a 10-count indictment with molesting a boy, plying him with liquor and conspiring to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. He pleaded innocent. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian-Pool/Getty Images)

Since his untimely death in 2009, Michael Jackson’s estate has been defending his legacy and his fortune against posthumous lawsuits, including two from men who claim Jackson sexually abused them when they were children. Now, his executors are back in court defending the late pop star against a former friend and manager they say is trying to use their relationship to make a profit.

The Michael Jackson Estate and The Michael Jackson Company, LLC filed a lawsuit on July 9 in Los Angeles County Superior Court accusing Frank Cascio of trying to extort 213 million dollars to prevent the release of abuse allegations to the public. The suit alleges Cascio threatened to release damaging information about Jackson which the estate maintains is false if he didn’t receive the massive payout. Jackson’s estate says Cascio’s actions are nothing but a shakedown.

“For over 30 years, Mr. Cascio proudly described himself as part of Michael’s ‘second family,’ and repeatedly and publicly denied any misconduct by Mr. Jackson,” a spokesperson for the estate told The Blast. “Now, years after Michael’s passing, Mr. Cascio is attempting to profit by reversing his position and manufacturing claims he previously denounced as false.”

If the estate’s allegations are true, it would be a complete 180 for Cascio, a long-time friend who has fiercely defended Jackson in television interviews with Wendy Williams, Oprah Winfrey and others.

“I’m gonna tell you something, if Michael Jackson ever laid a finger on me, I would not be in this chair right now,” he said in a 2024 Dateline interview.

Cascio also had nothing but love for Jackson in his 2011 memoir “My Friend Michael,” calling him a “brother, mentor and friend.”

“Knowing Michael was both and ordinary and extraordinary experience,” he wrote.

Neither Cascio nor his attorney, Mark Geragos have commented on the details of the lawsuit to date.