Michael Jackson Sued in UK Court by Arab Sheikh

Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa filed suit against Michael Jackson in a UK court yesterday, charging that the pop star took $7 million in the form of an advance on a yet-to-be-produced album and autobiography. Al Khalifa’s attorneys charge that the sheikh paid for Jackson’s expenses conditional to Jackson’s working with him on the book and recording project. Jackson, however, has claimed that the money was a gift and his attorney, Robert Englehart, is trying to gain permission for his client to testify via video link from Los Angeles.

Al Khalifa and Jackson apparently first spoke with one another in 2003, when the troubled singer was facing legal problems due to his arrest for alleged child molestation. At that time, the sheikh, perhaps enamored of the famous American singer, agreed to pay $35,000 toward the utility bills at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. The sheikh also contributed over $2 million to go towards legal fees for that trial, thinking all along that the money would be repaid after the pop singer’s career got back on track. According to Al Khalifa, "I saw the payment as an investment in Michael’s potential. He said he would pay me back…through our work together."

In addition to the over $2 million contributed to Jackson’s legal team, Al Khalifa also brought Jackson and a sizable entourage to Bahrain, set up a recording studio and paid the singer $500,000 to keep him in the lifestyle to which he had grown accustomed. Through it all, no book was penned and no record cut. The sheikh’s attorney, Bankim Thanki, noted that even though his client is wealthy, the expense of working with Jackson has been a significant blow to the sheikh’s finances. Jackson, for his part, appears to be in even worse shape financially and was recently forced to give up his beloved Neverland ranch.