Michael Jackson’s Mother and Youngest Son Blanket: What Happened?

At the center of the legal dispute between Bigi Jackson and Katherine Jackson is the sale of Michael Jackson’s catalog. In February 2024, it was reported by Billboard that Sony Music Group acquired half of the late singer’s masters catalog, valued at a staggering $1.2 billion. While the details of the agreement remain private, it is believed that Sony paid approximately $600 million.

Katherine Jackson was displeased with this transaction and found herself at odds with the executors of Michael’s estate, claiming they did not have the authority to approve the sale. According to documents obtained by People, she contends that the catalog could have been sold for a higher “premium payment.” Her opposition resulted in mounting legal fees, which she expects the estate to shoulder. However, Bigi Jackson does not agree with this approach, viewing his grandmother’s efforts as futile. He and his siblings—the rightful heirs—should not be burdened with what he considers a losing battle. “Given those odds, Bigi decided not to waste his resources to participate in an appeal,” his attorney stated.

Katherine argues that the estate has sufficient funds to cover the legal expenses, with her legal team indicating in the filing, “It seems clear to [Katherine] that the Executors are holding all of the assets in the Estate in order to keep control over them, and to avoid the more liberal distribution requirements of the Trust.” The co-executors countered, noting that Katherine has ample funds to cover the costs. “Since Michael’s death, the executors have expended for Mrs. Jackson’s benefit more than $55 million,” they wrote, according to Billboard.

Source: Billboard, People