Originally appeared on E! Online
More details into Michael Jackson's final days have surfaced 15 years after his death.
In court documents obtained by E! News June 27, attorneys for the executors of Jackson's estate said the late singer's business affairs "were in disarray" in 2009 — so much so he had "more than $500 million of debt" when he died at age 50.
"Michael Jackson had additionally incurred considerable expense in connection with preparations for his concert tour, 'This Is It.'" the filing—which was submitted to Los Angeles County Superior Court June 21 — read, explaining that Jackson's untimely death "left his Estate with financial liability approximating $40 million" to the promoter of his tour.
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In addition, the executors' attorneys said Jackson had "changed business managers, lawyers, and personal managers several times in the years immediately prior to his death," forcing them to track down documents that were "scattered around the country" in the wake of the Prince of Pop's passing.
And in the following years, the executors' attorneys said they eliminated the estate’s debt and "successfully enhanced Michael Jackson’s image and legacy for the benefit of the beneficiaries of Michael’s Trust," which includes the Grammy winner's kids Prince Jackson, 27, Paris Jackson, 26, and Bigi "Blanket" Jackson, 22. (The "Thriller" artist’s music catalog was sold to Sony in 2016 for $750 million, according to Rolling Stone.)
"Although more than a decade has passed since Michael Jackson’s death," their filing noted, "from time to time, the Executors must deal with the consequences of the circumstances that existed at the time of Michael Jackson’s death."
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The executors' attorneys are now asking the court to "allow, authorize and approve of compensation" for the "extraordinary services rendered" by a number of legal firms on behalf of Jackson's estate, totaling to more than $3.5 million in payment.
"At the time of Michael Jackson’s death, his assets were highly leveraged and the debt in some cases was in default," the court document read. "The Executors, with the assistance of their legal team, worked to bring all debt current, and negotiated and restructured the debt at interest rates far more favorable to the Estate so that the Estate was able to and has paid in full all of the debt that so heavily burdened Michael Jackson during his life."
E! News has reached out to Jackson's estate for comment but hasn't heard back.
