Untouchable

by Randall Sullivan

  Tohme taking the fall for sending Grace away: Tohme, CS2 (who said Tohme was responsible). Nederlander discussions (see also lawsuit against the MJ estate, broadwayworld.com), animated TV program: Tohme, CS2. Deals negotiated by Tohme: Tohme, court file of his lawsuit against estate, “Tohme Tohme, Michael Jackson’s Close Friend and Manager” (placed on the Internet, I’m fairly certain, by Tohme himself). “Secure the future”: Tohme to Deutsch. Depletion of Barrack’s net worth: Tohme, “Deep Pockets”/LA Times; work on Neverland Ranch: Tohme, “Makeover”/Wall Street Journal. “Substantial additional value”: Barrack to Wall Street Journal. “Letter of Intent” and “Promissory Note”: review of documents, but each is available online. Tohme is not the only one to claim credit for naming “This Is It”; Kenny Ortega has, too, and probably so have others. Trip to London: Tohme; also, British press coverage. Announcement of O2 shows: Tohme, London press.

  Growth of concert series from ten shows to fifty: multiple sources, including KJ lawsuit against AEG, Tohme lawsuit against MJ estate and countersuit. Randy Phillips’s doubts audience for more shows: Phillips to London newspapers; filings in AEG lawsuit; Hawk, CS2. Hawk was quite generous in his appraisals of both Tohme and Phillips, but acknowledged MJ’s anger at each of them when he discovered more concerts were being planned. CS2 was less positive in his descriptions of the two men, especially Tohme. Phillips surprised by MJ’s lack of confidence: Phillips to Tohme, Hawk, and “Michael Jackson’s promoter . . . moves”/Daily Telegraph (incl. “If Mike gets too nervous”). “Presale” tickets: Hawk, CS2; also, “Thirteen applications per second”/Daily Telegraph, “Fans fury”/Daily Mail, “Michael Jackson doubles London shows”/Herald Sun, “1.5m fans crash sites”/Evening Standard, Kreps/Rolling Stone; MJ’s Web site. “Operatic scene,” “high-drama meetings,” Tohme convincing MJ to face reality of his circumstances: Hawk, CS2. MJ fiscal situation, including need to earn at least $100 million by 2011 or face liquidation: Tohme, Hawk, CS2. MJ-Prince rivalry persuading MJ to increase number of shows, “Randy really wanted . . . shows happen”: either Hawk or CS2. “Sixteen-plus acres,” Guinness Book of World Records: Phillips’s testimony in Conrad Murray trial; KJ lawsuit against AEG. Chef and trainer agreement: KJ lawsuit against AEG, but also reported in media. Division of profits, staging of show: documents in AEG lawsuit; also reported at the time. “This Is It” ticket sales: same articles noted above, as well as NME, Moore/Daily Telegraph, MJ official site. Accolades: still posted on official MJ site at time of MJ’s death; they remained for some time, but apparently have been removed. Millennium Concerts: Avram lawsuit. “One Night Only”: Bob Jones, coverage of O2 shows; hospital room decorated with Shirley Temple and Mickey Mouse posters: Jet. Rwaramba on MJ/hospitals: Rwaramba to Barak. “See how many gifts and flowers”: Jones, attributed to Neverland maid Blanca Francia. Total haul of $125 million . . . a billion dollars: Hawk.

  The record is replete with examples of the Jackson family encircling MJ in the hope of exploiting him financially. Motor home, which remained in MJ’s name and is now the property of the Michael Jackson estate: Tohme and Hawk. “Tried to say no to his mother”: confidential source. Leonard Rowe background: Friedman, July 21 and 22. R. Kelly/Ne-Yo lawsuits against Rowe: primarily Cohen-Grossweiner/celebrityaccess.com, also Friedman. Rowe refiled his lawsuit against William Morris (see court filings below) in June of 2012, claiming “newly discovered favorable evidence.” In regards to my assertion that Rowe cast himself in the role of oppressed minority, here’s what Kelly had to say on the day he was awarded a $3,397,410.38 judgment against Rowe: “I agreed to let Leonard Rowe promote my tour because he convinced me he was an underdog who deserved a chance to prove himself. Like the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished.” A number of other lawsuits were filed against Rowe by investors who accused him of selling them nonexistent shares in the Double-Up tour. In his ruling in the R. Kelly case, the judge ordered Rowe to take full responsibility for every one of those lawsuits. Return of Frank Dileo (and Rowe): Patrick Allocco interview, other material/ muzikfactorytwo.blogspot.com. Binder agreement in AllGood deal: review of document. Allocco–Joe Jackson–Dileo meetings: Allocco to muzikfactorytwo blogger Yazmeen; also, Allocco filing against Dileo/MJ estate. Lamicka lawsuit: Allocco to Yazmeen. Allocco quotes throughout these notes will be from this interview except as otherwise cited. Yazmeen actually obtained a copy of that lawsuit (in which Lamicka was accused of falsely identifying himself as a representative of the rock group KISS and bilking an Oklahoma company out of $50,000). That lawsuit ended when the plaintiffs were awarded a default judgment of $250,000 after Lamicka failed to show up in court. Allocco account of Lamicka/aftermath and Dileo/AEG deal: muzikfactorytwo, Allocco filing against Dileo/MJ estate. Rowe claim of agreement with MJ siblings (after convincing Janet she lacked “drawing power”), gathering at MJ’s gate, forcing MJ into a meeting (incl. Rowe quotes): Rowe, What Really Happened. I was told by a source I trust that this meeting actually took place. Allocco/Rowe approaching Tohme/Hawk, Rowe/Hawk/Allocco meeting/Rowe’s aggressive behavior, AllGood background: primarily Hawk, also Tohme. Need to relaunch career overseas (which Randy Phillips has acknowledged in interviews), stalling Allocco and Rowe: Hawk, Tohme. Joe and Rowe forcing their way into Carolwood, “I have no money and it’s your fault”: Friedman, March 26 and 30, 2009; also Tohme, via secondhand sources. Rowe claim that MJ signed an agreement: Rowe press release. Joe and Rowe going to KJ, persuasion tactics: Hawk, Tohme, CS2; also, confidential sources close to Mrs. Jackson; much of that information has been adduced by KJ/AEG lawsuit. Tohme heard about the pressure being applied to MJ and how MJ was dealing with it in some of their last real conversations in late March of 2009. Joe-Katherine conversations: confidential sources, also reported when Joe blamed KJ for MJ’s death (interview, 2010). KJ rationale for why MJ should sign AllGood deal: confidential sources. Two of these sources told me Mrs. Jackson insisted then and continues to insist that MJ’s biggest mistake was leaving the Jackson 5.

  Dileo campaign against Tohme: confidential sources; Dileo made many of the same accusations in interviews immediately after MJ’s death (Dileo to NBC and Raffles Van Exel). The best public record source of information about all of this, though, is the “Frank Dileo wasn’t rehired by Michael Jackson!” article Yazmeen posted on muzikfactorytwo. Tohme appearing out of his depth in London: several off-record sources. MJ complaining about Tohme/control: assorted sources, including Brother Michael, MJ–June Gatlin tape, confidential source involved in AEG deal from the beginning. Dileo-Rowe meeting: muzikfactorytwo, esp. interview with Allocco, who was at the time in constant contact with Dileo and Rowe. Peter Lopez on Tohme, Brother Michael–Dileo relationship: CS2. Brother Michael/Tohme “mostly talk”: Brother Michael (in e-mail communications with me via Perry Sanders—see Brother Michael to Sanders e-mails). Tohme alienating people: Hawk, CS2, among others. Celebrity Access: see below. Randy Phillips e-mail (sent to Celebrity Access’s Ian Courtney): given to me by Tohme, who claims it was given to him by Phillips.

  COURT CASES

  Civil

  LASC BP117321 2/17/12.

  98 CV 8272 (United States District Court, Southern District of New York) Rowe Entertainment v. William Morris Agency, June 12, 2012.

  DOCUMENTS

  Julian and Tohme, 8/7/08.

  “Binder Agreement” between Dileo Entertainment and Touring Inc. and AllGood Entertainment. November 21, 2008 (hereafter cited as Binder Agreement, 11/21/08.

  Rwaramba, 9/12/09.

  “Letter of Intent” for Agreement between Michael J. Jackson and AEG Live. January 26, 2009 (hereafter cited as Letter of Intent, 1/26/09).

  “Promissory Note,” 1/26/09.

  “Michael Jackson Manager.” E-mail from Randy Phillips to Ian Courtney, Celebrity Access. April 1, 2009 (hereafter cited as Phillips to Courtney, 4/1/09).

  AL-KHALIFA LAWSUIT/GRACE RWARAMBA

  Friedman, Roger. “Jacko Nanny Starts Her Own Charity.” Showbiz411.com, May 29, 2009
(I).

  “Biggest Enabler.”

  “Jackson ‘Too sick’ for Court Case.” BBC, November 18, 2008 (RT).

  “Michael Jackson’s Uganda Nanny Comes from Bushenyi.” newvision.co.ug, June 29, 2009 (I).

  Seal, “Doctor Will Sue.”

  “Ugandan Born ‘Ms. Grace Rwaramba,’ Michael Jackson’s Nanny, Could Get Custody of the Children.” majimbokenya.com, June 29, 2009 (I).

  AEG DEAL/ANNOUNCEMENT OF O2 SHOWS/

  TOHME/BARRACK/DEALMAKING

  Allen, Nick. “Thirteen Applications per Second for Michaeldate.” Daily Telegraph, July 6, 2009.

  Cable, Simon. “Fans’ Fury as Touts Sell Michael Jackson Concert Tickets for Up to £16,000 a Pair on Black Market.” Daily Mail, March 13, 2009.

  Day. “Off the Wall.”

  Deutsch, “Mysterious Advisor” 7/4/09.

  “Dr. Tohme Tohme, Michael Jackson’s Close Friend and Manager.” freearticles227.blogspot.com, February 3, 2011 (I).

  Kreps, Daniel. “Michael Jackson’s ‘This Is It!’ Tour Balloons to 50-Show Run Stretching into 2010,” Rolling Stone, March 12, 2009.

  Lee and Ryan. “Deep Pockets.”

  Mason. “Phillips Profile.”

  “Michael Jackson London O2 Ticket Warning Issued.” NME, March 5, 2009.

  “Michael Jackson Recovers After Collapsing in New York.” Jet, December 25, 1995.

  Miranda, David. “Michael Jackson Doubles London Shows After 2 Million Seek Tickets.” Herald Sun, March 12, 2009.

  Moore, Matthew. “Michael Jackson O2 Ticket Website Attracting 16,000 Visits a Second.” Daily Telegraph, March 6, 2009.

  “1.5M Fans Crash Sites in Rush for Jacko Gig.” Evening Standard, March 11, 2009.

  Rossen, Jeff. “Today Investigates: Mystery Man Behind Michael Jackson.” NBC/Today Show, August 23, 2009 (RT) (hereafter cited as Rossen, “Mystery Man”).

  Schmidt, Veronica. “Michael Jackson Sells Out London Concerts and Adds More Shows.” Times, March 11, 2009.

  Singh, Amar. “Detoxing Brand Jacko.” Evening Standard, March 13, 2009.

  Smith, Ethan. “Economic Reality Prompts a Makeover at ‘Neverland.’” Wall Street Journal, June 13, 2009.

  Yazmeen. “Frank Dileo Wasn’t Rehired by Michael Jackson!” muzikfactorytwo. blogspot.com, November 29, 2010 (I) (hereafter cited as Yazmeen, “Dileo”).

  JOE AND JACKSONS/LEONARD ROWE/FRANK DILEO/ALLGOOD DEAL

  Cohen, Jane, and Grossweiner, Bob. “R. Kelly Awarded Multimillion Dollar Judgment Against Promoter Leonard Rowe.” celebrityaccess.com, October 7, 2008 (I).

  Friedman, Roger. “Jacko’s Dad Still Wants Piece of Pie.” Fox News, March 30, 2009 (I).

  ———. “Jacko’s Dad Wants Back in Good Graces.” Fox News, March 26, 2009 (I).

  ———. “Joe Jackson’s Partner Has Sketchy History.” Showbiz411.com, July 21, 2009 (I).

  ———. “Joe Jackson’s Partner: Jail Sentences and Lawsuits on Résumé.” Showbiz411.com, July 22, 2009 (I).

  “Michael Jackson Appoints New Manager: Leonard Rowe, Legendary Promoter, to Steer Singer’s Latest Comeback.” March 26, 2009 (PR).

  “Michael Jackson–Reverent June Gatlin Mystery Audio Tape Today.” YouTube, August 26, 2009 (I).

  Van Exel, Raffles. “Raffles Van Exel Interviews Frank Dileo.” November 4, 2009 (I) (hereafter cited as Van Exel, “Dileo”).

  “Will Michael Jackson’s Real Manager Please Stand Up?” Celebrity Access, April 2, 2009 (I).

  Yazmeen. “Interview with Patrick Allocco—President of AllGood Entertainment.” muzikfactorytwo.blogspot.com, May 24, 2011 (I) (hereafter cited as Yazmeen, “Allocco”).

  CHAPTER 18

  Surge in paparazzi tailing MJ: Tohme, Craig Williams, also widely reported. MJ visits to Klein’s office/Taylor’s home: primarily, Craig Williams (part of the pack following MJ in last weeks, one of the few to have relationships with Jackson family members), Posner/Daily Beast (see Chapter 10 notes); also McConnell/Daily Mail, Seal/Vanity Fair, Ryan/“Troubles mount”/LA Times. MJ-Klein relationship, prescription of Demerol: lawsuit filings by Klein’s former assistant Jason Pfeiffer. Klein’s own bills to the Michael Jackson estate describe forty-one separate Demerol injections for MJ in 2009. Klein writing prescriptions in own name to provide drugs to others: former Klein assistant and live-in lover Paul Gohranson to Radar Online. Klein writing twenty-seven prescriptions to himself after MJ return to United States: Dimond/“The Secret World of Arnold Klein”; confirmed by documents adduced in Conrad Murray trial, State Medical Board of California investigation of Klein. Mickey Fine deliveryman coming and going from MJ’s house: multiple sources, including Craig Williams; the deliveryman also spoke about making many deliveries to MJ’s home of pharmaceuticals prescribed under assumed names (see x17video.com below); also, Murray trial, Medical Board investigation. Straight from Klein’s office to Taylor’s house: Posner (see Chapter 10 notes), McConnell, confirmed by Williams. Klein 2009 work on MJ, including “emergency situation”: Klein bill to MJ estate. MJ hatred of aging (incl. quotes): MJ to Boteach. “I’d rather go out like Elvis”: MJ to Gotham Chopra, in Deepak Chopra’s “Tribute” to MJ. “This Is It” preparation: Tohme, but it should be noted he was essentially absent from the scene from early April until shortly before MJ’s death. Selection of musicians: “Michael Jackson Band” file/MJ official site. MJ thinking of self first as a dancer: Tohme, among many others. MJ–Kenny Ortega meetings: Leach (see Chapter 12 notes). Ortega background: imdb.com bio. Ortega seven-figure fee: CS2; solid investment: “Michael Jackson enlists”/NME. Travis Payne résumé, “Scream”: imdb.com. Selection of dancers: “Comeback Gig Dancers”/Sky News, MJ’s own Web site. Audigier/crystal-encrusted costumes: “Extra . . . tickets”/NME. Panagiris “Beat It” solo/hiring: Panagiris to Gottlieb/Boston Herald. Ferrigno-MJ: Dobuzinskis/Reuters, unbylined/People. “Fulfilled and happy,” “Mr. Mom”: Hoffman/Rolling Stone. No needle marks: multiple Ferrigno interviews, including Van Susteren.

  MJ’s drug use has been thoroughly and depressingly documented since his death, dating back to the time he checked into rehab in London in 1993, before and during his criminal trial and in the last months of his life. Schaffel and Wiesner both told me that boredom was one of the things that motivated MJ’s drug use, although I’m sure they’d both agree that emotional distress was a far bigger part of it. Karen Faye, who knew MJ longer if not as well as those two, voiced the opinion (in her LAPD interview, via TMZ) after MJ’s death that he was “self-sabotaging” during May and June of 2009 in order to get out of his commitment to the O2 shows. Gerald Posner made the same contention (based on an interview with a source he didn’t identify) in his Daily Beast article “Jackson’s Final Panic.” There may be something to that. Injecting mostly below waist: AS1; see also necrosis photo/Daily Mail (see Chapter 12 notes); autopsy found needle marks both above and below MJ’s waist; confidential source told me that could be explained by the fact that a doctor was administering his drugs during the last weeks of MJ’s life. Two sources who have been quoted by name in this book but don’t want to be on this subject told me that MJ liked to have a doctor supervise his injections, but would do it himself if there was no other choice. Resort to needles due to insomnia: same two sources, who said that when he went two or more days without sleep he was willing to try almost anything to get some rest. MJ drug tolerances: evidenced by quantities Conrad Murray admitted to administering; see also Wiesel’s doctor, Chapter 12. Propofol preferred when desperate for sleep: circumstances of death/Murray trial. Cherilynn Lee–MJ meeting/propofol, including quotes: Lee to Elber/Associated Press; Lee witness testimony at Murray trial (unimpeached); also, other Lee interviews. Furthermore, a confidential source in a position to know has told me her story is true. Tadrissi: document presented but not allowed into evidence in Murray trial, later part of Coroner’s Office/Medical Board investigations; also, see Chapter 26 notes.

  Dileo-Arfaq Hussain, Hussain’s arrival: Tohme. Perfumer: London ta
bloid reports on MJ ordering two bottles of $75,000 perfume (which Hussain was selling); he also later identified himself as MJ’s “costume designer,” but I found no verification. Tohme’s private investigator reported that Hussain approached Mohamed Al-Fayed years earlier with the claim he was one of MJ’s associates, but it was clear that Al-Fayed, his head of security and Tohme’s investigator all thought that was untrue. Julien Auctions lawsuit/controversy: court file, LA Times, Tohme, Hawk. Hippach report on Tohme/reaction: review of document, provided by Brother Michael, who I believe dealt with Hippach for MJ; Brother Michael, confidential source. Tape-recorded conversation: MJ to “the Reverent” June Gatlin. (I conducted a lengthy, amusing, and ultimately frustrating interview with Gatlin, prompted by Tohme’s claim that the tape recording was “a fake” and that it wasn’t MJ’s voice. Gatlin refused to say who had introduced her to MJ, when they met, how often they spoke, or to offer any other information that would corroborate a connection to MJ and the authenticity of the tape recording. In the end, though, I decided the tape recording was authentic, based on a conversation with a confidential source who was in MJ’s household and told me that MJ had spoken on the phone with Gatlin twice, but never actually met her face-to-face. I’m pretty sure MJ had no idea he was being recorded.)