Michael Jackson’s former lawyers to receive a $20.25m payout
The owner of a celebrity jet service must pay Michael Jackson’s former lawyers $20.25m for taping them with the star onboard an aircraft. XtraJet and owner Jeffrey Borer taped Jacko and his lawyers as he flew from Las Vegas to Santa Barbara in 2003 to turn himself in on child molestation charges. Jacko’s top lawyer Mark Geragos must be paid $18m by the firm, while his associate Pat Harris gets $2.25m. The tapes reportedly came to light in November 2003 when Fox News was offered them for sale.

Michael Jackson 'saves Neverland'
Pop star Michael Jackson has refinanced his Neverland ranch to save it from being auctioned off, his lawyer says. Mr Jackson had been told that if he failed to pay $25m (£12.5m) he owed on the sprawling California property, it would be auctioned next week. L Londell McMillan said the singer had now worked out a "confidential" agreement with an investment group which meant he would keep the property. "Neverland and MJ are fine," Mr McMillan said. The deal had been struck with the Fortress Invest

Michael Jackson Sees Neverland Ranch Foreclosed, Auction Date Set
Michael Jackson is about to see a large part of his famous past sold off unless he can come up with nearly $25 million as his famous Neverland Ranch has been foreclosed and is set to be sold on March 19. The auction will include everything on the property which means the new owner will take possession of any games, amusement rides, furniture and personal property that may be inside the house. It has been more than two years since Jackson stepped foot on the Neverland property, a site that once feature

Michael Jackson 'dropped from Grammys' for crazy demands
Michael Jackson was dropped from the Grammy Awards last week after his diva demands proved too much for the show's producers, it has been claimed. The Thriller star was scheduled to appear at the Los Angeles awards ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of Thriller, the best-selling album of all time. But his appearance was cancelled after the 49-year-old reportedly demanded that the entire event dedicated to him, the New York Post claims. Among other bizarre requests was that he be referred to as

Kasabian lead singer buys Michael Jackson puppet for $8,000
Kasabian frotman Tom Meighan’s gaff is fast becoming a shrine to cult telly and film. The Kasabian frontman has just splashed out £4,000 ($8,000) for the Michael Jackson puppet from hit Eighties’ show SPITTING IMAGE. Now Wacko Jacko takes pride of place in his living room alongside the BMX bike ridden by ET and Elliott in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 sci-fi blockbuster. A source said: “Tom has had his eye on Spitting Image memorabilia for a while. “He was scouring the internet to see w

Akon Hoping For Michael Jackson Collaboration On Forthcoming LP, Acquitted
Akon says it won't be long before his new album hits the shelves. "We're trying to get it out by the first week of May," he recently told MTV News in Los Angeles. "The album is practically done now. It's called Acquitted." The singer is hoping the first single will feature Michael Jackson, who he just spent time working with. (While some reports say Jackson has finished recording his part for the track, it was unclear whether all the legal hurdles had been cleared as of press time.) "It's a worl

Public records: Jackson missed mortgage payments
Public documents show Michael Jackson has repeatedly failed to make mortgage payments on a Los Angeles home that has been used for years by his family. Documents filed with the Los Angeles County Recorder's Office indicate the reclusive pop star was most recently in default last month on the property in Encino, an area in the San Fernando Valley. The singer had $153,910 in missed payments as of Jan. 17 on a $4 million loan serviced by Pasadena-based mortgage lender IndyMac Bancorp. Documents dated F

British property tycoons want to launch bid for Neverland
TWO British property tycoons yesterday launched an audacious bid to buy Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. Jacko, 49, faces losing the fantasy estate unless he pays off a £12million debt by March 19. But fans Liam Collins, 29, and David Bone, 26, say they will pay £15million for the ranch in Santa Barbara, California. And the Newcastle pair will offer Jackson the chance to rent it back. David said: “We really want to see Jacko back on his feet. He’s had a real hard time of it.”

Jackson family buys Devon retreat
Michael Jackson is to stay with his brother in Devon in a bid to escape the media glare. The singer and other members of the family will use Tito's new home in Barnstaple as a bolthole to avoid press intrusion in the US, reports The Sun. Tito, a judge on BBC1 show Just The Two Of Us, is understood to have made offers on two properties in the town after deciding to focus on his career in the UK. He said: "We hope it will be a family hideaway where my brothers and sisters can escape media attention w

La Toya looking more and more like Michael
Brother and sister Michael and La Toya Jackson are both apparent victims of the same debilitating disease, Incredible Shrinking Nose Syndrome.

Janet does "Off the Wall" tribute for Michael
Janet Jackson is off the wall! No, that is not referring to her racy lyrics or provocative costumes on her sensational new album, Discipline, which came out this week. Rather, she pays homage to her brother Michael Jackson's iconic album Off the Wall, for Vibe magazine's first-ever photo issue. The shoot, for Vibe's April issue by photographer Michelangelo di Battista, was styled to bring back memories of the one-time King of Pop during his music heyday — and in her dapper men's suit, there was no room fo

Video: Filipino prisoners do Soulja Boy and MC Hammer
Remember those Filipino prisoners that did the hot Thriller dance? Well, they are back. I guess they take requests, because due to popular demand they performed the Soulja Boy dance followed by MC Hammer's "You Can't Touch This." Hell yes! Where the hell do I make my requests, because I want to see Paula Abdul's "Cold Hearted Snake" and Los del Rio's classic Macarena.

Cornell flattered by "Idol" shout-out
Chris Cornell says he's surprised but flattered that "American Idol" contestant David Cook performed a cover of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" last week on the show, in what was nearly a note-for-note version of Cornell's own interpretation. Interest has since spiked in the Cornell cover, a drastically stripped-down take on the song that appeared on his 2007 solo album "Carry On." The track is currently No. 12 on iTunes' Top Alternative chart. The former Soundgarden frontman told Billboard he was ret

Madonna Admits She Took Drugs
Madonna accepted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction on Monday, with a raucous speech that included calling the audience “motherf**ers” and sharing sordid tales about her life in music. She gleefully recalled when she met her long-time publicist Liz Rosenberg. She was "smoking a joint," Madonna said. She also told the crowd she split a tab of ecstasy with a music executive who she gave her first demo tape to. The 49-year-old Pop star then mimicked Michael Jackson in a squeaky voice, describin

ABC News conjures J.K. Rowling documentary
Following the success of last month's "20/20" installment on the Royal family, ABC News in the U.S. is working on a behind-the-scenes look at the life of "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling. The in-depth profile, which will air in November, includes several interviews, the book tour for the final "Harry Potter" installment, and a tour of locations that inspired her characters. It even hints to what the future holds for Harry and his friends. ABC is again working with U.K. producer RDF Media, which rais