Manager Sues Michael Jackson for $44M

WASHINGTON (CN) - Michael Jackson's publicist sued the entertainer for $44 million, claiming Jackson agreed to pay her 10% of any deals she arranged as president of The Michael Jackson Co., which was incorporated in May 2006. Raymone Bain said Jackson did not pay her for helping him refinance a loan against his Sony music catalog.

Bain and her firm, Davis, Bain & Associates, say Jackson hired them "as his personal spokesperson and publicist" in December 2003. She claims her firm's work included "damage control" during his 2005 trial on child molestation charges. She claims that in addition to appointing her president and COO of The Michael Jackson Co. in May 2006, he signed a second document appointing her his general manager. That agreement gives her the 10% fee for any deals she and her firm get for him, according to the complaint.

Bain says she helped Jackson avoid "imminent foreclosure" more than once by arranging emergency refinancings. She claims the refinancing of Jackson's Sony catalog involved a payment of $25 million to Jackson and another $16 million to pay off his debts. She says that "Upon completion of (that) loan refinancing, Mr. Jackson compensated every member of the Financial Advisory Board except Ms. Bain and the only other female member."

She says Jackson has failed to resolve her claims involving his upcoming European tour, from which she says he can expect $400 million. Bain is represented by Frederick Samuels with Cahn & Samuels.

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