Late singer Michael Jackson is facing new scrutiny from four members of the Cascio family, who say the late pop star sexually abused them as children and "groomed" them to act as loyal "soldiers" defending him in public while secretly harming them.

In a recent lawsuit, four of the five Cascio siblings, Aldo, Eddie, Dominic, and Marie Nicole, accuse Jackson of years of sexual abuse and psychological grooming that began when they were young and continued into adulthood.

They say Jackson trained them to protect him whenever allegations surfaced, teaching them what to say and how to present him as innocent, according to People.

The Allegations Against Michael Jackson

All five siblings told the New York Times that they now see themselves as having been turned into his "soldiers," conditioned to defend him in interviews and private conversations, even after his death in 2009.

The Cascio siblings grew close to Jackson in the 1980s through their father, who worked with the singer, and often described themselves as his "second family." They now allege that Jackson used this trust to gain constant access, first showering them with attention and gifts, then isolating them from outside support.

Their lawsuit argues that Jackson's companies and the co-executors of his estate acted as enablers by allowing him private time with children and later trying to keep the siblings quiet.

Eddie Cascio told the Times that they were "brainwashed" and "groomed," saying Jackson made them feel he was everything: a friend, a father figure, and emotional support, while warning them never to reveal what happened.

The siblings say this pattern echoes claims made earlier by other accusers, such as choreographer Wade Robson, who has said Jackson "manipulated and brainwashed" him and even role‑played possible court questions to prepare him to deny abuse.

Robson and fellow accuser James Safechuck have also described being taught that sexual acts were "how we show each other our love," and that speaking out would ruin both their lives, the New York Times reported.

Some Cascio siblings say they only fully recognized the alleged abuse after watching the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, in which Robson and Safechuck detailed similar grooming experiences.

They continued defending Jackson in public for years, including in a high‑profile appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, before deciding to reverse course and sue.

Their attorney says the family now believes they were psychologically conditioned to lie, while Jackson's estate insists the accusations contradict the siblings' past statements and has condemned the new lawsuit as extortion, as per Fox News.

Tags
Michael Jackson, Abuse