Michael Jackson sued for 02 Arena residency

[Sash]

Organisers of a proposed Jackson Five reunion concert have filed a $40m lawsuit alleging that Jackson's 50 London dates violate the terms of their 2008 contract

Making good on their threats, organisers of a proposed Jackson Five reunion concert have filed a $40m lawsuit against Michael Jackson. New Jersey-based promoter AllGood Entertainment has followed up on its allegations of last month, claiming that Jackson's forthcoming O2 arena residency violates the terms of their 2008 contract.

In papers filed in a New York federal court, the company claimed breach of contract and fraud – demanding $20m (£12m) in compensatory damages and $20m (£12m) in punitive damages. They allege that in November of 2008, Jackson's manager, Frank DiLeo, signed an agreement promising that the King of Pop would perform in Texas in July 2010, alongside brothers Marlon, Jackie, Tito, Randy and Jermaine. Under the terms of this contract, Jackson was forbidden from any individual performances until that time.

According to AllGood Entertainment, O2 promoters AEG Live knew of the Jackson Five contract, "but due to their dominance and power in the live performance industry, coerced and/or induced DiLeo and Jackson to disregard the agreements with AllGood and to work with it instead".

Jackson's record-breaking run at London's 02 Arena with AEG Live begins this July. All 50 concerts have already sold out.

"We've given Michael Jackson and AEG every opportunity, publicly and privately, to resolve this matter and to date we have not heard from anyone," Patrick Allocco, one of AllGood's managing partners, told the BBC. But Jackson has claimed he never personally signed the papers and AEG head Randy Phillips previously described the AllGood claims as "meritless".

To Allocco, this is irrelevant. "The contract was signed by DiLeo on behalf of Jackson, the Jackson Five, [sisters] Latoya and Rebbie, the whole gang," he said.

As previously reported, rehearsals for the concerts are underway in Los Angeles.


Michael Jackson sued for 02 Arena residency | Music | guardian.co.uk



Sue him for what? He's got nowt!

[Tagred]

Oh well now that he is dead i guess there wont be a problem anymore

[Sash]

His kids will probably be left with nothing though, unless he has put money in trust. I hope he has because they cannot lead a life of normality because of who their dad was.

[Detomah]

Originally Posted by Sash

His kids will probably be left with nothing though, unless he has put money in trust. I hope he has because they cannot lead a life of normality because of who their dad was.

I can't see his kids going without. The Jackson family would see them ok, no doubt of that. After all, they are all fighting cat and dog to get custody of them right now and with god parents like Liz Taylor, Diana Ross and McCauley Culkin, there's a few quid knocking about.