FBI files on Michael Jackson
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) kept records on the American singer Michael Jackson, which were released under the Freedom of Information Act posthumously on December 22, 2009. In response to perceived threats against Jackson and allegations of child sexual assault made against him, the FBI made several investigations into Jackson, none of which led to charges.
Between 1993 and 2005, Jackson was investigated by California law enforcement agencies due to allegations of child abuse; the FBI provided technical and investigative assistance. They also investigated threats made against Jackson and others by Frank Paul Jones, who was later imprisoned. These investigations occurred between 1993 and 2005. The FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct on Jackson's part.
The FBI files comprise over 600 pages; 351 pages were released publicly, divided into eight parts. They include copies of letters from members of the public commenting on Jackson's performances, newspaper clippings, and various documents reporting that Jackson was the target of threats and extortion attempts. The files received extensive media coverage.
Media reaction[edit]
News media began covering the content of the FBI files after they were released on December 22, 2009. These outlets included The Guardian, USA Today, Variety, MTV, CNN, Billboard, ABC News, CBC News, BBC, France 24, and Reuters.[13][22][23][27][28][1][29][30][31] Brian Oxman, a former lawyer for the Jackson family, said the files contained no evidence that Jackson committed any crime and that it was "a vindication".[27] A former FBI investigator said that due to local law enforcement's limited capabilities, it was common that the FBI get involved as they were well-resourced to assist in such manners.[27]
In 2013, a London tabloid, the Sunday People, alleged that "secret FBI files" revealed that Jackson had paid millions in hush money to dozens of boys he had abused. The reports were received with skepticism. CNN Special Investigations reporter Drew Griffin said it "sounds like recycled tabloid reports from 20 years ago". Thomas Mesereau, Jackson's 2005 criminal defense attorney, said that these claims were not in the FBI files and dismissed the report as "a bunch of utter nonsense". Diane Dimond, a critic of Jackson, said: "It is obvious the paper took this old story and proceeded to make it seem new by adding numbers to it ... The problem is there's no evidence to back up the claim that Jackson made that many payoffs."[32]