A group of siblings who filed suit againstMichael Jackson's estate onallegations of child sex traffickingare sharing new details of their abuse claims against the late pop icon.
In an interview withThe New York Timespublished April 24, Edward, Dominic and Aldo Cascio, along with sister Marie-Nicole Porte, opened up about the alleged sexual abuse they suffered as children amid their close relationship with Jackson. The Cascios reportedly befriended the singer after their father, Manhattan hotel manager Dominic Cascio Sr., met Jackson in the 1980s.
According to the siblings'February lawsuit, filed in California federal court, Jackson's employees facilitated and concealed his alleged abuse and pressured the Cascios to sign an agreement that prevents them "from talking about the years of abuse they endured" under false pretenses.
In addition to child sex trafficking, the complaint alleges negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, breach of contract and fraud. It seeks monetary compensation as well as a determination that the signed agreement can be voided.
Jackson performs an open-air concert in West Berlin on June 19, 1988.
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Jackson's Bad Tour at Wembley Stadium in London is in the "Guinness Book of World Records," with 504,000 people attending seven sold-out shows in the summer of 1988, more than any other artist at the time.
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Michael Jackson's eighth album, "Dangerous," debuted on Nov. 26, 1991, atop the Billboard 200 and was the bestselling album in 1982. Hits include "Black or White."
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Jackson commanded the stage during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII between the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 31, 1993, in Pasadena, California.
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1993 delivered highs and lows for the superstar. On Dec. 22, Jackson delivered a televised statement from Neverland, proclaiming himself innocent of child molestation accusations. Anthony Pellicano, a security consultant, was hired to fight the molestation claims. Although Pellicano branded the alleged victim's civil lawsuit extortion, Jackson ended up settling out of court, paying the teenage plaintiff a reported $15 million-plus, and the case never went to trial.
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On April 18, 1995, Jackson and wife Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson welcomed 46 members of the World Children's Congress representing 17 countries to Neverland.
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Jackson gestured to fans from atop his SUV after his arraignment on child molestation charges at the courthouse in Santa Maria, California, on Jan. 16, 2004. Fans waited every day for a glimpse of the King of Pop during the trial.
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LaToya, Michael and Janet Jackson left the courthouse during a lunch break at a pretrial hearing in Michael's molestation case in Santa Maria, California, on Aug. 16, 2004.
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Four Michael Jackson impersonators pose outside of Jackson's mausoleum at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in Glendale, California on the 5th anniversary of Jackson's death, June 25, 2014. Fans from around the world gathered at the resting place to pay their respects and remember the King of Pop who died of an overdose of the anesthetic drug Propofol five years prior.
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Michael Jackson fans take photos of drawings, flowers, letters and other items left by fans outside Jackson's mausoleum at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in Glendale, California, on the 5th anniversary of Jackson's death, June 25, 2014.
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Kosovo artist Alkent Pozhegu works on a mosaic made of grains showing a portrait of Michael Jackson on the 15th anniversary of his death in Gjakova, Kosovo, June 25, 2024.
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Mexican fans of the late US singer, songwriter and dancer Michael Jackson perform a routine in front of an altar set up by followers in Mexico City on June 25, 2024, to commemorate the 15th anniversary of his death.
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Revisiting Michael Jackson's life and legacy in photos
Jackson performs an open-air concert in West Berlin on June 19, 1988.
The Cascios, who were often referred to as the singer's "second family," previously denied allegations of Jackson's sexual misconduct, including in a2010 interviewwithOprah Winfrey.
Now they say that was a lie. "We were brainwashed, we were groomed," Eddie Cascio told The New York Times. He says he and his siblings were "taught" by Jackson to defend him against abuse allegations.
Marty Singer, an attorney for Jackson's estate, dismissed the Cascios' claims in a statement to the outlet: "The Cascios are the epitome of unreliable sources. Their stories have repeatedly shifted and changed to suit whatever their current agenda happens to be."
USA TODAY has reached out to the Jackson estate for comment.
The Cascios' remarks come as"Michael,"a biopic on the pop superstar's illustrious career, hits theaters. The film notablydoes not address Jackson's legal troublesor accusations of sexual abuse.
Michael Jackson legal trouble:Singer's estate sued for child sex trafficking by former friends
Cascio siblings recall Michael Jackson's alleged abuse
In their interview with The New York Times, the Cascio siblings detailed Jackson's alleged sexual abuse.
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Porte, now 37, told the outlet she was 12 years old when the singer abused her inside their family home, where he allegedly stayed for months following the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. She told the Times that Jackson would sometimes masturbate while looking at her naked.
Dominic Cascio, 39, said his alleged sexual relationship with the "King of Pop" began during a trip to Euro Disney (now Disneyland Paris) when he was about 8 years old and said they would lie nude in bed together. Later encounters included Jackson masturbating, Dominic said.
Edward Cascio said his alleged sexual encounters with the singer extended into adulthood. "I felt like he took my manhood away," Edward, now 43, said.
When contacted by USA TODAY, their attorney reiterated the statements.
The February lawsuit, obtained by USA TODAY, describes Jackson as a "serial child predator who, over the course of more than a decade, drugged, raped, and sexually assaulted" the Cascios.
The lawsuit also says they met with the Jackson estate about their claims in 2019 and were then offered "five annual payments of approximately $690,000" in exchange for signing an "acquisition and consulting agreement." The negotiations allegedly took place after the release of the bombshell HBO documentary"Leaving Neverland."
The siblings' other brother Frank Cascio, who wrote the 2011 memoir"My Friend Michael,"told The New York Times that he was also sexually abused, but because of his involvement in an arbitration proceeding over the original agreement, he's not allowed to join his siblings' federal lawsuit.
Jackson estate attorney Marty Singer, who previously called the lawsuit a "desperate money grab," said all of the Cascio siblings were involved in the arbitration case. He claimed their recent complaint is an attempt to avoid settling their disputes under the previous agreement.
Per The New York Times, the Jackson estate plans to request for the lawsuit to be dismissed or placed on hold while arbitration continues.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’sNational Sexual Assault Hotlineoffers free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and Spanish via chat and at 800-656-4673.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Michael Jackson accusers Cascio family detail child sex abuse claims