Michael Jackson's $900m art collection in legal battle
Michael Jackson's $900 art collection is at the centre of a legal battle between his estate exectutives and a longtime pal.
The Thriller singer's vault feature many of his own never-before-seen pieces and sketches which he finished before his death in 2009. The singer's former manager and spokesperson Dr Tohme Tohme, has allegedly strucj a deal to give the entire collection to Jackson's former friend and teacher, Australian artist Brett Livingstone Strong.
America's Star magazine has a letter Tohme wrote to Strong on Jackson estate letterhead in 2008, which details the deal and gives the work to him free-of-charge.
Tohme wrote: "Michael wants you to know he is truly grateful for the loyalty you have shown him over the years, and he views this as a small token of appreciation for your continued friendship and artistic partnership."
Jackson's estate executives were unaware of the transaction and believe that this ay have been a fake agreement, since the King of Pop's signature is not anywhere on the letter.
And Katherine, Jackson's mum, is eager for the work to be displayed so that everyone might enjoy it: "I think his fans will want to see them, because it was part of him. Michael was always drawing or doing art. Now people are telling us the collection is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and all these people are trying to buy it."
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