HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Michael Jackson is suing an auction house in an attempt to hold onto several of his prized possessions targeted for an April sale, The Associated Press reports.
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Michael Jackson is suing an auction house in an attempt to hold onto several of his prized possessions targeted for an April sale, The Associated Press reports.
The 50-year-old singer’s company, MJJ Productions, filed the lawsuit against Julien’s Auction House on Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. Jackson alleges the firm promised to send him an inventory of the sale items, but he hasn’t given permission to move them all.
Among the 2,000 items targeted for the five-day April auction are Jackson’s American Music Award for “Thriller,” several platinum and gold records, a customized Harley Davidson and a Rolls Royce limousine.
Darren Julien, the auction house founder, issued a statement to Access Hollywood after the lawsuit was announced, denying any wrongdoing.
“This comes as a surprise,” said Julien in the statement. “Michael Jackson and his manager have been involved and we have communicated with them all along on this auction. We are not a moving company but we are an auction house. It does not make sense that he did not want the items sold that we picked up.”
Court documents reveal that MJJ Productions authorized the auction house to remove the items from Jackson’s Neverland Ranch, but not to sell them without the pop star’s permission. Julien told Access that his firm had previously returned some items at the request of Jackson’s group.
“There was no other intention when we picked up the items, but to put them up for sale,” he said.
“Up until two days ago we were working with his managers,” added Julien.
