Allegations of long-running sexual abuse against Michael Jackson have come to light, with a family once considered among his closest allies now accusing the late singer of grooming and exploiting them as children.
The Cascio siblings, Eddie, Dominic, Aldo and Marie-Nicole, claim they were subjected to years of manipulation and abuse within what they describe as an inner circle dubbed the “Applehead Club”. They are now suing Jackson’s estate.
Their claims mark a stark reversal for the New Jersey family, who had previously defended Jackson during earlier scandals and publicly backed him when allegations first surfaced.
Now, they say, the reality was far more disturbing.
“When you have the biggest superstar in the world in the 80s that wants to be your friend, you’re vulnerable and easily manipulated,” Dominic Cascio told 60 Minutes.
Jackson became close to the family in the 1980s, building relationships with the children while winning over their parents with gifts, holidays and private jet travel.
“My parents were young. For them to have such a big celebrity want to be friends with them, they definitely felt special, and so did we,” Eddie Cascio said.
“He made us feel like we were his family, his kids, his everything,” Eddie said.
Dominic Junior recalls him being “kind of like the fun uncle,” he said.
But the siblings allege that in private, Jackson groomed and abused them, convincing each child they were his only “special friend”.
Jackson, who died in 2009, denied all allegations of abuse during his lifetime. He settled a civil case in the 1990s and was acquitted of criminal charges in the mid-2000s.
While a new Michael Jackson biopic is currently in cinemas celebrating the singer’s career, it largely avoids the darker allegations that have followed his legacy for decades.
In a statement to the outlet, lawyer Marty Singer, representing Jackson’s estate, rejected the claims as a “desperate money grab”.
He said the family had for decades “consistently and repeatedly asserted that Michael never harmed any of them or anyone else”.
“Notably, these shakedown attempts come more than 15 years after Michael’s death, thus carrying no risk of being sued for defamation. Sadly, in death just as in life, Michael’s talents and success continue to make him a target,” he said.
“Throughout, the Cascios consistently and repeatedly asserted that Michael never harmed any of them or anyone else.”
“For example, in a 2010 nationally televised interview, Oprah Winfrey asked Eddie, Frank, and Marie Nicole, “Were there ever any improprieties with you and Michael Jackson?” and all three of them responded in unison, “Never, never,” and shook their heads.
Eddie added, “Michael couldn’t, he couldn’t harm a fly. I mean, he’s such a kind and gentle soul.”
Siblings claim they were molested
Eddie Cascio claims the abuse began after Jackson’s behaviour allegedly became more physically affectionate.
“That’s when the first kiss happened,” he said.
“That was the start of my time with Michael of being molested.”
His brother Dominic alleged Jackson introduced what he described as inappropriate “games”, including one he called the “booty rumble”.
“He would lay me on top of him with my genitals up against his,” he said.
“While he would shake, he would kind of push up against me.”
Dominic claimed the alleged behaviour escalated further, making a series of graphic allegations about what followed.
“He would drink my urine and tell me, ‘this is how much I love you’. I’m maybe 12 years old at the time. Like, I’m a child who’s seeing this man do this. And I said, ‘Oh, I guess he really does love me. I mean, I would never want to drink someone’s urine, so he must really love me.’”
Marie-Nicole Cascio alleged she was 12 when Jackson persuaded her to undress in front of him.
“He just kept saying, ‘This is normal,’” she said.
“He asked me to spread my legs, and he asked to look at my vagina and he proceeded to go close to it, and he sniffed it. He looked at it, and he admired it and was like, ‘Wow’,” she claimed.
“I had a secret code that anytime he wanted to have a meeting with me ... he would masturbate while looking at me exposed.”
Aldo Cascio alleged he was first abused while lying in bed with Jackson playing video games.
“He just pulled down my shorts, and started giving me oral sex. And he’d (say) right away, ‘Doesn’t that feel good? See, I love you. I love you,’” he said.
“I had no idea what sex was. I had no idea that this was inappropriate. He raped me and masked it into love.”
The siblings also alleged Jackson supplied them with alcohol and prescription drugs as a way of maintaining control and lowering their inhibitions.
Dominic claimed he was given “Jesus Juice,” which was allegedly wine hidden inside soft drink cans, as well as drugs including Vicodin and Xanax.
Marie-Nicole alleged: “He gave me Xanax and Vicodin at 11 years old and told me I’d be floating and I would love it.”
They said the alleged abuse was reinforced through fear and manipulation, including staged scenarios designed to prepare them for questioning by parents or authorities.
“He would instil a fear into you about, ‘I’m going to go to jail, your family’s life is going to be ruined’,” Dominic said.
Aldo alleged Jackson rehearsed how he should respond if concerns were raised.
“My mum asked me, ‘Is Michael doing anything to you?’” he recalled.
“So I had to say what he trained us to say.”
The siblings claimed Jackson made each of them believe they were the only one allegedly being abused.
“You were conditioned,” Eddie said.
The siblings said their perspective shifted after watching the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, which featured similar claims from Wade Robson and James Safechuck.
They said it ultimately prompted them to speak publicly, in the hope others may feel able to do the same and “give courage to other victims out there to come, come out and be, be strong with us”.
“Because at the end of the day, he was the monster, not us,” Eddie said.
If you or someone you know needs help, contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), or Sexual Assault Counselling Australia on 1800 211 028.
Young people seeking support can phone beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or go to headspace.org.au.
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