Michael Jackson settles breach of contract claim

Michael Jackson

NEW YORK - Debt-laden pop singer Michael Jackson reached a settlement yesterday over a breach-of-contract claim by New Jersey-based finance house Prescient Capital.

Prescient sued Jackson and his MJ Publishing Trust in July 2005 for US$48 million alleging breach of contract after providing financial advice to Jackson and his various companies.

Prescient said it helped Jackson secure a commitment for a total of US$537.5 million in financing to enable him pay off a US$272.5 million debt to Bank of America and to possibly exercise his "put option" to purchase the 50 per cent interest in Sony/ATV Music Publishing he does not currently own. Prescient secured funding from New York-based hedge fund Fortress Investment Group.

Sony/ATV, the world's fourth-largest music publisher, is jointly owned by MJ Publishing Trust and Sony Corp. Among its valuable catalog of songs are most of the hit songs of the Beatles and songs penned by Jackson himself.

Michael Jackson has been reported to be struggling with debt that saw him seek refinancing to avoid losing publishing rights to his valuable catalogue of music, which also includes songs by Bob Dylan and John Mayer.

A spokesman for Jackson said the settlement means that both the Beatles and Jackson's song and others in the library are "safe and sound."

Court documents showed a voluntary dismissal of the breach of contract claim.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed in filings at the US District Court Southern District of New York.

- REUTERS/Nielsen