Michael Jackson’s reclusive son Bigi steps out as estate drama explodes

Michael Jackson’s youngest son, Blanket, now known as Bigi, made a rare public appearance on Monday alongside a female companion, as tensions continue to simmer within the Jackson family over the management of the late pop icon’s vast estate.

Bigi, who will turn 24 next month, was photographed during a daytime outing wearing a black T-shirt featuring Darth Vader, paired with white shorts and black sneakers. His shoulder-length black hair was parted neatly down the middle.

Walking with him was a woman dressed entirely in black, wearing a sleeveless top, leggings, and dark sunglasses, with her long black hair worn loose. The identity of Bigi’s companion was not immediately known, as he is known for keeping his personal life extremely private. His older brother Prince, now 28, announced his engagement to Molly Schirmang last year.

The sighting comes amid escalating legal disputes involving the Jackson estate. Earlier this month, reports surfaced that Bigi’s sister Paris Jackson, 27, had filed legal documents in Los Angeles challenging the actions of the estate’s executors, citing ongoing disagreements over financial management.

In legal filings submitted to Los Angeles Superior Court late last year and obtained by the Daily Mail, Paris accused estate administrators John Branca and John McClain of personally benefiting financially from the estate of the late Thriller singer.

She alleged they had reaped "enormous sums of cash" while failing to properly invest funds that could have significantly increased the estate’s value.

According to the filings, Paris’s attorneys stated that she is "increasingly concerned the Estate has become the vehicle for John Branca to enrich and aggrandize himself." Paris emphasized that the primary responsibility of the co-executors should be to "serve the beneficiaries' best interests and steadfastly preserve her father's legacy."

Her most recent filing followed an unsuccessful attempt to audit the executors’ previous handling of the estate’s finances. Among the specific allegations, Paris claimed the co-executors "apparently undertaking no effort to" invest approximately $464 million in cash that was reportedly sitting unused.

Her legal team argued that the executors failed to "make this substantial sum productive" for the estate. Paris also raised concerns over legal spending, stating that in 2021 alone, 10 law firms collectively received more than $4.5 million, a figure that exceeded the amount paid to any "individual beneficiary that year." She further alleged that between 2009 and 2021, the executors were paid a total of $148 million.

Bigi is widely remembered from a controversial moment in November 2002, when Michael Jackson infamously dangled him over a fourth-floor balcony in Berlin, sparking public outrage and intense scrutiny of the singer’s parenting.

Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50 after suffering cardiac arrest at a Los Angeles mansion. In February 2010, authorities ruled his death the result of acute propofol intoxication.

The drug had been administered by Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who later told investigators that the singer referred to the powerful anesthetic, delivered via IV drip, as "milk" and said he needed it to sleep.

Jackson’s death triggered an outpouring of grief and tributes from fans worldwide, both in person and across rapidly growing social media platforms. His family, including his three children who had rarely been seen in public without masks before that time, attended a widely watched memorial service on July 7, 2009, at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, then known as the Staples Center.

At the emotional ceremony, Paris, then just 11 years old, addressed the crowd, saying, "I just wanted to say, ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine - and I just wanted to say I love him so much."

A private funeral for close family and friends followed in Glendale, California, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

In the aftermath of Jackson’s death, Dr. Murray’s medical decisions came under intense scrutiny, particularly regarding his use of propofol and alleged failure to follow proper safety protocols. Investigators ultimately ruled Jackson’s death a homicide.

In November 2011, more than two years after the singer’s passing, Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison.

Michael Jackson left behind an unparalleled musical legacy. One of the best-selling artists of all time, he earned 13 Grammy Awards from 38 nominations. His honors included Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough in 1980, Album of the Year for Thriller in 1984, and Record of the Year for Beat It that same year. He received the Grammy Legend Award in 1993, was posthumously honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.