Jackson Estate Vs. Tohme

Michael Jackson’s estate and his former manager, Tohme R. Tohme, have filed dueling lawsuits in a year-long dispute regarding Tohme’s claim he’s entitled to a 15 percent stake in the late singer’s post-death earnings.

Attorneys for the estate, which has reportedly earned more than $300 million since the singer’s June 2009 death, are seeking to block Tohme’s claims for payments, saying the ex-manager improperly gave away some of the late singer’s property and used undue influence to get Jackson to sign several unethical deals that lined Tohme’s pockets.

“We believe the facts will show that Mr. Tohme’s claims are meritless and that Mr. Tohme engaged in wrongdoing with respect to Michael Jackson starting early in their relationship,” said estate attorney Howard Weitzman.

The rebuttal lawsuit claims Tohme, who was Jackson’s manager from January 2008 to March 2009, was instrumental in reviving Jackson’s career after his acquittal of child molestation charges, created a financial and career strategy to give Jackson and his children stability, and had a hand in getting Jackson to sign the deal with AEG Live for the aborted “This Is It” concert series in London.

Tohme also claims he returned in 2009 $5.5 million to the estate that Jackson had allegedly put aside to buy a house in Las Vegas.