Ex-Michael Jackson Ally Mark Geragos Labeled A ‘Liar For Hire’ Amid $44M ‘Shakedown’

Mark Geragos, once one of Michael Jackson’s loudest defenders, is now being slammed by the King of Pop’s fans after switching sides in a bitter legal battle. The celebrity attorney, who famously represented Jackson during his 2005 trial, has joined forces with longtime Jackson associate Frank Cascio in a new case against the Michael Jackson Company. The lawsuit, obtained by The Blast, seeks to undo a 2020 confidential settlement agreement, a move that supporters say betrays the late star’s legacy.

According to new filings in Los Angeles Superior Court, the Michael Jackson Company accuses Frank Cascio and his representatives of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar shakedown attempt against the late star’s estate.

Court documents claim that in 2024, after receiving nearly all of the money promised under a 2020 confidential settlement, Cascio “returned and attempted a second round of extortion,” demanding an additional $213 million, later reduced to $44 million, under threat of going public with damaging allegations about Jackson.

“Frank demanded that he and his cohorts be paid an additional $213 million, claiming for the first time that the agreement was unenforceable,” the filing states. “Frank threatened to go public with allegations of Michael’s purported abuse.”

Attorney Martin D. Singer, representing the Michael Jackson Company, wrote in a sworn declaration, “They threatened to sue if we didn’t pay.” The filings describe the threats as “reputational blackmail” directed at Jackson’s estate and co-executor John Branca, despite arbitration clauses requiring disputes to remain private.

A July petition also details an alleged poolside meeting at the Sunset Marquis Hotel, where Cascio’s team instructed attendees to wear bathing suits to prevent recordings.

“Only someone engaging in extortion or other unlawful conduct would be worried about their conversation being recorded," the petition read. "A truthful person asserting legitimate legal claims should have no objection to being recorded."

The Michael Jackson Company says the original 2020 deal was intended to “protect Jackson’s children from having to deal with further false allegations and to protect Michael’s valuable legacy," which they claim Cascio has since violated.

Geragos’s participation in this case has fueled confusion because of his long public defense of Jackson’s innocence. Across social media, fans have branded Geragos a “liar for hire,” accusing him of aligning with those trying to “shake down” Jackson’s estate for money.

“Mark Geragos defended Michael when he was alive, now he’s extorting him?” one user wrote. Another added, “The Cascios are ridiculous, and Geragos will undermine his own credibility by siding with them. This is a textbook example of extortion.”

For those unaware, his 2013 book "Mistrial: An Inside Look at How the Criminal Justice System Works… and Sometimes Doesn’t," co-authored with Pat Harris, Geragos wrote, “Michael was absolutely 100 percent innocent of the charges brought against him in Santa Maria.” He also testified for Jackson twice during the 2005 trial, describing the prosecution as “a vendetta by a bitter, angry man.”

The lawsuit further states that the same book, Geragos called the case “a huge shakedown,” echoing the very language now used by Jackson’s estate against Cascio.

But that's not all. Per the suit, during a 2021 SiriusXM appearance, Geragos also denounced "Leaving Neverland" as “a complete rewrite of history,” adding that he once brought his young son to Neverland Ranch and saw “nothing inappropriate.”

Cascio, who has long described himself as part of Jackson’s extended family, defended the star for years. Under the name Frank Tyson, he testified in 2005, “I wouldn’t be here if I thought that man was a pedophile.”

He later authored "My Friend Michael," a book that praised Jackson’s character and denied all misconduct. But according to court filings, after the 2020 settlement, Cascio and his team sought more money and threatened to go public unless the estate paid up. The Michael Jackson Company argues that the behavior represents “a coordinated attempt to exploit Jackson’s legacy for profit.”

For Jackson’s devoted fanbase, the irony is impossible to ignore. Geragos once wrote that the case against Jackson was a “vendetta” and a “shakedown," the same words now used by the estate to describe the very lawsuit he’s helping pursue.

His critics say that transformation, from defender to opponent, cements his reputation as what one fan called a “liar for hire.”

And while Geragos’s motives remain unclear, the optics are undeniable. The man who once called Michael Jackson “100 percent innocent” now finds himself on the opposite side of the fight to protect his name.