Post by sunsetdriver on Jun 20, 2006 9:09:57 GMT 1
Michael Jackson's lifestyle due back in court
Former associate claims pop singer owes him money
Tuesday, June 20, 2006 Posted: 0242 GMT (1042 HKT)
SANTA MONICA, California (AP) -- A year after Michael Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges, a lawsuit by a former associate is headed for a trial that will put Jackson's chaotic financial dealings in the spotlight.
The pop star is expected to be seen through videotaped depositions.
"To my knowledge, he's not scheduled for any court appearances," said Jackson's spokeswoman, Raymone K. Bain.
She said Jackson, who has been living in Bahrain, is traveling in Europe. He answered questions twice in depositions in London.
Jackson is being sued by F. Marc Schaffel for $3.8 million in what Schaffel says are unrepaid loans and expenses, unpaid salary for work on a charity record and his share of proceeds from two TV specials produced to bolster Jackson's battered reputation after child molestation allegations surfaced.
Facts involved in Jackson's criminal trial last year are likely to be revisited when Schaffel testifies about his role in attending to the family of a boy who claimed he was molested by Jackson.
But most of the witnesses called by Schaffel will be money managers and business advisers. Jury selection is set for June 26.
Schaffel's claims
Bitter feelings between Jackson and Schaffel are evident in pretrial briefs.
Schaffel's attorney, Howard King, portrayed the singer as an incurable spendthrift who sought financial guidance from advisers, then ignored it.
"Jackson carried no credit cards, wrote no checks, carried no 'walking around money' and had people attending to his every need," said King's trial brief.
"Jackson hired competent advisers to make business decisions, then frequently ignored the decisions being made and ... incurred expenses without regard to any rational limits or accountability, as though funds were endless. ..."
He maintained Schaffel was manipulated by Jackson, who cheated him out of millions.
"Although the public may perceive Jackson as a soft-spoken artist concerned only about his creative endeavors, the evidence at trial will show that Jackson is a master at manipulating the people around him," said the document.
King said Jackson cajoled his advisers with promises of "undying love as well as great rewards."
"Jackson was a master of assuring his advisers that the success of any particular plan would ensure that adviser a lifetime position working for Jackson," said the lawyer.
"... However they were frequently dismissed when Jackson did not want to take their advice to rein in his profligate spending or terminate other activities that were damaging to his image and career. ..."
Jackson's counterclaims
For his part, Jackson claims Schaffel defrauded him and hid the facts of his allegedly shady past.
"To say that Schaffel is an unsavory character would be an understatement," Jackson's lawyer, Thomas C. Mundell, said in a pretrial filing.
"He is a professional swindler and pornographer with a long history of dishonest, immoral and manipulative behavior."
Mundell argued it was Schaffel who convinced Jackson he was the right person to help the pop star produce and release a charity single called "What More Can I Give" in 2001.
He said Schaffel was entrusted with handling millions of dollars on Jackson's behalf and keeping records for Neverland Valley Entertainment, a firm set up by Schaffel.
"This case is deceptively simple," Jackson's lawyer said in his trial brief. "Stripped to its essentials, it is an accounting case, albeit one with an overlay of fraud, deception and self-dealing on the part of plaintiff Marc Schaffel."
Rather than owing Schaffel money, Jackson's lawyer said Schaffel owes Jackson funds.
He said Jackson broke all ties with Schaffel in mid-November 2001 when he found out that Schaffel's "other job" was as a producer of gay pornography.
"Obviously, Mr. Jackson could not afford to be publicly associated with a gay pornographer in connection with the release of a record," the lawyer said.
King said this was part of a "smear campaign" and "mud slinging" which should not be presented to the jury.
Conversely, he suggested Jackson would not want Schaffel to testify "with regard to Jackson's sexual proclivities or intimate details of their conversations."
He said Jackson continued to work with Schaffel well into 2004.
Jackson's depositions show the singer claimed a poor memory of transactions involving millions of dollars and said he never met his business manager, Alan Whitman.
In a bizarre detail, Jackson maintained he got his spending money by leasing cows that lived on his Neverland ranch.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
source: cnn
Enrico
Former associate claims pop singer owes him money
Tuesday, June 20, 2006 Posted: 0242 GMT (1042 HKT)
SANTA MONICA, California (AP) -- A year after Michael Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges, a lawsuit by a former associate is headed for a trial that will put Jackson's chaotic financial dealings in the spotlight.
The pop star is expected to be seen through videotaped depositions.
"To my knowledge, he's not scheduled for any court appearances," said Jackson's spokeswoman, Raymone K. Bain.
She said Jackson, who has been living in Bahrain, is traveling in Europe. He answered questions twice in depositions in London.
Jackson is being sued by F. Marc Schaffel for $3.8 million in what Schaffel says are unrepaid loans and expenses, unpaid salary for work on a charity record and his share of proceeds from two TV specials produced to bolster Jackson's battered reputation after child molestation allegations surfaced.
Facts involved in Jackson's criminal trial last year are likely to be revisited when Schaffel testifies about his role in attending to the family of a boy who claimed he was molested by Jackson.
But most of the witnesses called by Schaffel will be money managers and business advisers. Jury selection is set for June 26.
Schaffel's claims
Bitter feelings between Jackson and Schaffel are evident in pretrial briefs.
Schaffel's attorney, Howard King, portrayed the singer as an incurable spendthrift who sought financial guidance from advisers, then ignored it.
"Jackson carried no credit cards, wrote no checks, carried no 'walking around money' and had people attending to his every need," said King's trial brief.
"Jackson hired competent advisers to make business decisions, then frequently ignored the decisions being made and ... incurred expenses without regard to any rational limits or accountability, as though funds were endless. ..."
He maintained Schaffel was manipulated by Jackson, who cheated him out of millions.
"Although the public may perceive Jackson as a soft-spoken artist concerned only about his creative endeavors, the evidence at trial will show that Jackson is a master at manipulating the people around him," said the document.
King said Jackson cajoled his advisers with promises of "undying love as well as great rewards."
"Jackson was a master of assuring his advisers that the success of any particular plan would ensure that adviser a lifetime position working for Jackson," said the lawyer.
"... However they were frequently dismissed when Jackson did not want to take their advice to rein in his profligate spending or terminate other activities that were damaging to his image and career. ..."
Jackson's counterclaims
For his part, Jackson claims Schaffel defrauded him and hid the facts of his allegedly shady past.
"To say that Schaffel is an unsavory character would be an understatement," Jackson's lawyer, Thomas C. Mundell, said in a pretrial filing.
"He is a professional swindler and pornographer with a long history of dishonest, immoral and manipulative behavior."
Mundell argued it was Schaffel who convinced Jackson he was the right person to help the pop star produce and release a charity single called "What More Can I Give" in 2001.
He said Schaffel was entrusted with handling millions of dollars on Jackson's behalf and keeping records for Neverland Valley Entertainment, a firm set up by Schaffel.
"This case is deceptively simple," Jackson's lawyer said in his trial brief. "Stripped to its essentials, it is an accounting case, albeit one with an overlay of fraud, deception and self-dealing on the part of plaintiff Marc Schaffel."
Rather than owing Schaffel money, Jackson's lawyer said Schaffel owes Jackson funds.
He said Jackson broke all ties with Schaffel in mid-November 2001 when he found out that Schaffel's "other job" was as a producer of gay pornography.
"Obviously, Mr. Jackson could not afford to be publicly associated with a gay pornographer in connection with the release of a record," the lawyer said.
King said this was part of a "smear campaign" and "mud slinging" which should not be presented to the jury.
Conversely, he suggested Jackson would not want Schaffel to testify "with regard to Jackson's sexual proclivities or intimate details of their conversations."
He said Jackson continued to work with Schaffel well into 2004.
Jackson's depositions show the singer claimed a poor memory of transactions involving millions of dollars and said he never met his business manager, Alan Whitman.
In a bizarre detail, Jackson maintained he got his spending money by leasing cows that lived on his Neverland ranch.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
source: cnn
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