Michael Jackson’s estate is alleging his sister’s ex-fiance stole items belonging to the pop singer while he was staying in his mansion after his death. In a lawsuit filed Friday against Jeffre Phillips, lawyers for Jackson’s estate claim the items the defendant allegedly stole included the pajamas the singer was wearing hours before his death, Daily Mail reported.
Lawyers also alleged that Phillips, who was previously engaged to La Toya Jackson, was attempting to find buyers for the allegedly stolen items. Phillips is said to have temporarily stayed at Jackson’s $25 million Los Angeles mansion in the wake of his death. The suit claimed the film producer was there for nine days.
The suit stated that the items Phillips allegedly stole included iPhones belonging to the late pop singer and his children, his clothes, driver’s license, prescription pills, clothes, handwritten notes, and a briefcase containing personal and business letters.
“In extremely appalling and inhumane act, Phillips even stole the pajamas Jackson was wearing in the final hours of his life,” lawyers for Jackson’s estate claimed.
“And Phillips stole a resuscitator tube that seems to have been used on Jackson by those who were trying to save Jackson’s life in the short and frantic period before his passing.”
Jackson’s estate said they were notified about Phillips attempting to auction off the late pop singer’s belongings in December 2021. And to confirm that the items indeed belonged to Jackson, Phillips is said to have told the auctioneer that the valuables were taken from Jackson’s home days after his death, Daily Mail reported. He also told the auctioneer that he was staying at the mansion at the time.
The auctioneer also got in touch with Jackson’s estate to verify the items and inform them that he had in his possession a pair of sunglasses that supposedly belonged to the late singer. The auctioneer said Phillips told him that the sunglasses still had “makeup on it from his face.”
The lawyers said that though some of the items Phillips allegedly stole have been returned, they believe the defendant still has other items in his custody. They include Jackson’s home videos as well as music that the late pop singer wrote and recorded before his passing.
Jackson’s estate wants Phillips to be ordered to hand over any other property belonging to the deceased singer.
Phillips and La Toya Jackson got engaged in 2013. They, however, separated in 2015, per TMZ. And though they maintained their friendship after the breakup, it is unclear if they still have any kind of relationship at the moment.
