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 Raymone Bain, who represented Jackson in 2005 and 2006, said the
Michael Jackson Legacy Foundation would seek to raise money for
the charitable causes Jackson supported during his life,
including the advancement of civil rights for African Americans.
Bain told a Washington news conference that the foundation was
in its early stages and that she had not yet contacted family
members.
Jackson's estate said on Thursday that Bain "is not authorized
to act on behalf of the Michael Jackson Estate nor to use
Michael Jackson’s name in any way for charitable or her own
commercial purposes."
Bain said Jackson gave $300 million to charitable causes during
his life, but that she was unaware of any donations made in his
name since his 2009 death at age 50.
Jackson's estate noted that the "Thriller" singer's estate
remains in probate and has not yet closed.
In 2005, Jackson was acquitted at a trial on charges of
molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland ranch in
California.
In a documentary released earlier this year, "Leaving Neverland,"
two other men said they were abused by him from the ages of 7
and 10 in the early 1990s. Jackson's family and estate have
denied the accusations.
Bain said Jackson has been "victimized" by false accusations.
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"I'm hoping that the Michael Jackson Legacy Foundation will be able
to move forward in a positive way to help preserve, protect and
defend all of what Michael Jackson did during his life and to
maintain someone who helped open so many doors for so many people,"
she said.
According to Forbes, Jackson was the top-earning dead celebrity last
year, taking in more than $400 million through recordings, tribute
shows, and the sale of his EMI Music publishing stake.
Bain filed a lawsuit against the singer's estate, which was thrown
out in 2017, claiming that Jackson had left her and three other
business partners a 15 percent stake in his company.
She said her new foundation would raise funds independently through
donations from individuals and through a planned tribute event for
the singer.
Bain said one of the initiatives would be an exhibition at the
National Museum of African American History and Culture.
(Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Additional reporting by Jill Serjeant in
Los Angeles; Editing by Andy Sullivan and Jonathan Oatis)
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