Last week, a Los Angeles judge ruled in Paris’s favor, deciding that $625,000 in bonuses paid to outside law firms working for the estate must be returned. The executors, John Branca and John McClain, had argued that these bonuses were standard for the music industry, particularly since the estate secured major deals in that year.
According to new court documents obtained by TMZ, Paris is now demanding $463,752 in interest on the funds that are owed back to the estate.
A spokesperson for the estate stated, “The Executors are aware of the filing and are confident it will be rejected in due course. Their focus remains on celebrating Michael Jackson and growing the estate’s business, especially after the record-breaking success of the motion picture ‘Michael.’”
Paris’s team emphasized, “The law is crystal clear: misappropriated funds must be returned with interest. John Branca should not receive special treatment, which is why we’re asking the court to make the executors responsible for their own mistakes.”
At the previous hearing, the judge praised the executors for the value they brought to the estate, even while ruling in Paris’s favor regarding the bonuses. The estate’s representative added that the bonuses in question were for third-party law firms—not the executors themselves—and that legal fees have always been subject to court approval, with outside counsel expected to return funds if payments weren’t approved.
This ruling highlights Paris Jackson’s ongoing efforts to hold the executors accountable while maintaining the estate’s continued business success.
