Michael Jackson’s manager reveals how the late singer wanted to be remembered after he was gone
Even though it has been 15 years since Michael Jackson passed away, yet his mysterious life still grabs headlines. The King of Pop, who passed away on June 25, 2009, due to an overdose of propofol at 50, was having a hard time during his final days, as it was revealed that he was over $500 million in debt at the time of his death, as per People. To revive his sinking career, a new manager was hired who, after the singer's unfortunate passing, filed a lawsuit against Jackson's estate. The manager also revealed Jackson’s aspirations and how he wanted to be remembered.
The manager in discussion is Tohme Tohme, a financier with a murky past who was contacted by Jermaine Jackson for help saving Neverland Ranch, as per Today. Tohme traveled to Las Vegas with Jermaine, where he met Jackson, and the duo bonded instantly. "For the last year and a half, I was the closest person to Michael Jackson," Tohme said. In a bid to save Neverland, the manager reached out to Colony Capital chairman Tom Barrack, who was reluctant at first, but Tohme recalled telling him, "Let’s go see Michael." After the meeting, Barrack, impressed by Jackson’s "intelligence and focus," purchased the note for Neverland, marking the start of a business relationship that ultimately led to the planned London concerts.
Further in a conversation with Today, Tohme said, "I don’t want to talk about me. I'm a nobody. I'm not important. I want to talk about Michael Jackson." Appearing on the verge of tears, he added, "It's unbelievable. I'm devastated. God bless his soul." He believed speaking about Jackson honored the singer's wish, recalling, "He always said to me, "I want people to really know who I am after I'm gone.'"
In Jackson’s final months, Tohme said they discussed his dream project of building a "special place 10 times bigger than Graceland" and even "a veritable city for children." Tohme recalled, "He wanted to be remembered as a great human being, and he wanted to create as many happy places for the children of the world as he could." On the day Jackson died, as Tohme rushed to the hospital, memories flooded his mind, like Jackson bringing his children to his house for Thanksgiving, singing "Happy Birthday" to him over the phone, and rehearsing at Staples Center. He remembered Jackson's final words to him that day as "I love you."
In 2012, Tohme sued Jackson's estate, asking for a 15% commission on the hitmaker's earnings from his final year, along with a share of 'This Is It profits' and a fee for securing a loan that saved Neverland Ranch, as per The Hollywood Reporter. Court filings revealed Tohme was to receive $3 million, but the estate refused to pay, arguing the deal required a formal agreement ensuring no further legal claims. In November 2012, Tohme sued John Branca and John McClain, representatives of the estate for breach of contract, claiming, "The draft of the agreement the estate sent me included terms I hadn't agreed to, and it was never signed, but that doesn't matter because they made an oral agreement."
Tohme sought summary judgment, while the estate argued, "The deal wouldn't be final until the ink was dry," and accused him of breaching by refusing to sign. In 2019, Judge Mark A. Young ruled in Tohme's favor, stating the evidence showed "the parties had formed an oral agreement" and the estate "didn’t keep up its end of the deal." Tohme received $3 million, and the estate got assurance that he won't sue them again.