Four siblings who were part of Michael Jackson's so-called "secret family" have come forward with disturbing allegations of child sexual abuse against the late pop star. In an interview with "60 Minutes Australia" aired on Sunday night, the Cascio family detailed how Jackson allegedly groomed and sexually abused them as children, while also providing them with copious amounts of drugs and alcohol after winning over their family with lavish gifts and fame.
Lawsuit and Allegations
The four siblings filed a lawsuit in February, accusing Jackson of being a serial child sex predator who abused victims at the homes of Elizabeth Taylor and Elton John. Dominic Cascio told "60 Minutes," "He's a monster, he's evil, what he did was evil. And he's tricked the whole world to think he's this innocent, perfect human being, and he's not."
Background of the Cascio Family
The Cascios' father, Dominic Sr., met Jackson in the 1980s while working at the Helmsley Palace Hotel in New York City. He quickly became part of the singer's inner circle, and his family would often spend holidays at Neverland Ranch and travel the world with the King of Pop. One of the siblings, Eddie, now 43, recalled meeting the "Thriller" singer when he was only 2 years old, as Jackson began visiting the family's New York home unannounced late at night. Home videos shown by the outlet captured Jackson's chimpanzee, Bubbles, charming the children during one visit.
Grooming and Abuse
The star wooed the children—Eddie, Aldo, Dominic, and Marie-Nicole—by taking them on lavish trips on his private jet, on tour with him, and to meet world diplomats. However, the siblings said these luxury gifts were merely a facade for the decades of alleged grooming and sexual abuse that followed. Eddie stated, "My parents were young. For them to have such a big celebrity want to be friends with them… they definitely felt special, and so did we. He made us feel like we were his family, his kids, his everything."
The four Cascio siblings claimed the campaign of abuse occurred over 25 years, including at Jackson's Neverland Ranch and during his world tours. Dominic recalled, "When you have the biggest superstar in the world in the 80s that wants to be your friend, you're vulnerable and easily manipulated." Eddie claimed that Jackson started molesting him when he was 11 during the 1993 Dangerous tour, abusing him every night while the two shared a bed and well into his adulthood. "That's when my world started to change," he said. "We were on tour, and that's when Michael started to get closer and started rubbing me on my legs. I was sitting on his lap, and that's when the first kiss happened, where he kissed me on the lips."
Disturbing Games and Acts
Multiple siblings said Jackson had them participate in a disturbing game called the "booty rumble." Dominic described it: "He would lay me on top of him with my genitals up against his. While he would shake, he would kind of push up against me." He also claimed Jackson drank his urine and told him, "This is how much I love you." Dominic added, "I'm maybe 12 years old at the time. Like, I'm a child who's seeing this man do this. And I said, 'Oh, I guess he really does love me. I mean, I would never want to drink someone's urine, so he must really love me.'"
Marie-Nicole said Jackson would make her undress when she was 12 and masturbate while looking at her. Aldo, the youngest sibling, claimed that Jackson began molesting him while the two lay in bed together and played video games. "He just pulled down my shorts and started giving me oral sex. And he'd [say] right away, 'Doesn't that feel good? See, I love you. I love you,'" Aldo alleged.
Drugs and Alcohol
The siblings added that Jackson supplied them with prescription drugs and alcohol at a young age, including "Jesus juice," which was wine, and "Disney juice," which was hard liquor. Marie-Nicole claimed, "He gave me Xanax and Vicodin at 11 years old and told me I'd be floating and I would love it." The Cascio siblings also alleged that the megastar instilled fear in them by training them for interrogation by police and their parents, causing the kids to be adamant that nothing abnormal was happening to them.
Response from Jackson's Estate
Marty Singer, a lawyer acting for Jackson's estate, told "60 Minutes" in a statement that the Cascios' allegations were merely a "money grab." Singer said, "Notably, these shakedown attempts come more than 15 years after Jackson's death, thus carrying no risk of being sued for defamation. Sadly, in death just as in life, Jackson's talents and success continue to make him a target."
