The vast ranch of the “king of pop” Michael Jackson in California, Neverland, is back on the real estate market at a price of $ 31 million, an amount well below the 100 million claimed four years earlier. Ownership of more than 10 square kilometres, located near Santa Barbara, includes 22 buildings, including a main house of six rooms, a lake, a tennis court and an amusement park.
In may 2015, the ranch had been sold for $ 100 million after it was renovated by an investment company – a price that is considered “optimistic” by some experts at the time, which pointed to the link the property with the sexual abuse of children which has been accused of Michael Jackson throughout his career. The ranch was raided in 2003 as part of an investigation.
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The discount result is in part due to the drought that hit the region and affected the local real estate market, said the american media Kyle Forsyth, one of the officers in charge of the case. The house is in good condition, according to him. Michael Jackson would have paid $ 19.5 million in the 1980s to acquire the property which he had an amusement park including a mini-zoo, games and gardens. A real estate company had bought in 2008 for $ 22.5 million. The “king of pop” was dead the following year.
A documentary shock stimulus to the accusations of pedophilia
This announcement comes as HBO should broadcast on Sunday the first episode of the documentary of four hours titled Leaving Neverland . It tells the story of two thirty year olds, ensuring that they were victims of sexual abuse by Michael Jackson when they were between the ages of 7 and 10 years. The survey stimulus and the charges against the King of pop, almost ten years after his death. Presented at Sundance last January, the film had aroused many reactions.
The successors of Michael Jackson have begun the 21 February lawsuit against HBO. A complaint of 53 pages, filed with a court in Los Angeles, accuses HBO of violating an agreement of “non-bashing” that she would have signed in 1992, the lifetime of the King of pop, and is claiming up to 100 million dollars of damages and interests.
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“Michael Jackson is innocent. Point”, have written to the lawyers of the heirs in the complaint. “In 2005, it passed judgment (…) and he was acquitted by the jury,” argues the document. “Ten years after his death, there has yet to capitalize on its global success resounding and seek to exploit his eccentricities,” says the complaint filed by the two executors of the singer, at the head of the foundation managing the interests of his heirs. Despite this action, the chain reiterated that it would circulate as expected Leaving Neverland . “In spite of the desperate attempts to discredit the film, we do not change our plans,” said HBO in a statement sent to AFP.
In 1993, a teenager of 13 years had filed a complaint for touching against the singer. The matter was resolved informally, compared to $ 15 million. In 2005, Michael Jackson had passed the judgment for abuse on another child, but had been acquitted. In France, M6 will broadcast the documentary american unprecedented in both parties Thursday, march 21, under the name of Michael Jackson: a voice to the victims. The documentary will be followed, at 00h35, a debate led by Nathalie Renoux ( criminal Investigations ).
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