A Bahraini sheik is suing Jackson for $7 million, claiming the singer reneged on a contract for an album, a candid autobiography and a stage play after accepting $7 million in advance. Jackson claims the money was a gift.

Sheik Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the second son of the king of Bahrain, filed his suit in London. Jackson asked to testify by a video link from the U.S. because of an unspecified illness. His attorney, Robert Englehart, informed the court Nov. 20 that Jackson “has been cleared by his medical advisers to travel in two days’ time.”

Jackson and the Bahraini royal first made contact when Jackson was fending off accusations of child molestation in California and Al Khalifa offered to help him. Once Jackson was cleared of the charges in June 2005, Al Khalifa invited him to the small, oil-rich Gulf state to escape the media spotlight.

Al Kalifa, an amateur songwriter, says the pair even moved into the same place to work on music together.

The money at issue includes $1 million paid by Al Khalifa into the account of Jackson’s personal assistant, Grace Rwaramba, who is due to give evidence later. The case is being tried in London by mutual agreement and is due to conclude early next month.