Jackson: A DOJ Investigation Over False Passports?

 

Where do I start? In the middle of Michael Jackson's complex and pending financial disaster, the singer faces new trouble in a more serious venue.

 

Sources tell me that Jackson is being investigated by the Department of Justice for lying to get his kids new passports and taking them out of the U.S. illegally.

 

At the same time, Jackson's lawyers asked the private ex-family court judge they hired last year to step aside in their custody battle with the singer's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe.

 

Jackson and Rowe hired retired Judge Stephen M. Lachs to adjudicate their long-running and unique conflict over Prince Michael and Paris Jackson.

 

But according to sources, now Jackson's lawyer Michael Abrams has filed a motion with Lachs asking him to recuse himself from the case, even though he was hand-selected.

 

The reason? Abrams is saying that Lachs is predisposed to Rowe. Sources on Rowe's side, however, find that laughable, since the case has taken more than a year and gotten almost nowhere, thanks to Jackson first being on trial for child molestation and then leaving the U.S. with no intention of returning.

 

The Rowe-Jackson situation is complicated by the fact that Rowe is the only biological parent of the two kids. She married Jackson, had the children and then agreed to divorce and a settlement that contained a confidentiality agreement.

 

Jackson stopped paying her last year, claiming she'd broken the agreement by giving an interview about her horses to a syndicated TV show.

 

And there's more: Rowe, according to sources, has filed a motion with Lachs claiming that Jackson took Prince and Paris to Bahrain in the United Arab Emirates without her permission.

 

This part of the story is tricky: at the time that Jackson decided to take the kids abroad, their passports were being held by the family court, thanks to the pending custody case.

 

Jackson -- according to Rowe -- lied to the passport service by saying he had sole custody in order to get new passports. This brought in the Department of Justice, which is taking the complaint seriously.

 

A source there told me, ?We can't comment on investigations or whether there is one going on. But there are specific laws about parents taking kids out of the country."?

 

The source also conceded that it's easy for one parent to commit fraud by lying to the passport office and removing children illegally. Rowe, Jackson's lawyers will argue, had no rights. But Rowe's side can show that she had her parental rights restored by Judge Lachs about two months before Jackson split for Bahrain.

 

The judicial recusal is another thing, however. Judge Lachs has 10 days to decide if he will step down. If he chooses to stay, the matter goes to judicial review. One theory for Abrams and Jackson's possibly next move is to buy time.

 

Jackson, sources tell me, is hoping to soon claim residency in Bahrain when his six-month stay is completed.

 

Meanwhile, I have to say how amused I am to see dozens of articles concerning Michael Jackson in the last two days based on reporting from this column. Almost none of them gave us any credit. But readers of this column know better, and not to trust other outlets. Many of them got the story completely wrong.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,179352,00.html

 

 

another article by Vibe.com

 

Michael Jackson May Face Child Abduction Charges

 

By: VIBEOnline Staff

 

December 22, 2005

 

Just when it appeared as if Michael Jackson was truly one of the untouchables, his ex-wife Debbie Rowe accuses the embattled pop singer of abducting their children Prince Michael I, 8, and Paris, 7.

 

It's been a hell of a year for Michael Jackson. After being acquitted of child molestation charges in June, he went to the Middle East, splitting his time between Bahrain and Dubai with Rowe's children, Paris and Prince Michael, and his youngest son, Prince Michael II. He has been quoted as saying he won't return to the U.S.

 

Since that time, the Anti-Defamation League demanded his apology after ABC aired what was said to be a telephone answering-machine message in which the pop star referred to Jews as "leeches."

 

he star also faces loss of his 50% stake in The Beatles' back catalogue if he fails to meet a loan repayment deadline.

 

According to NME.com, prosecution testimony heard during his child molestation trial earlier in the year, cited that Jackson has borrowed heavily against his assets. And his lawyers are in talks to prevent him defaulting on loans secured by his share in the songs.

 

In latest news, his ex-wife has filed legal papers accusing Jackson of abducting their two children. Earlier this week, Rowe, who was married to Jackson from 1996 - 1999, has asked a judge to order him to return the children to the US. She aims to seek sole custody of their children.

 

According to the New York Daily News, Rowe gave up her parental rights in 2001, but changed her mind after Jackson was charged with child molestation in 2003

 

http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/20...hild_abduction/

Edited December 22, 200520 yr by The Grinch

blah

Where do they get this and who is spreading this. If this is true, I can't understand why Michael would keep gettign himself into trouble like that.

Where do they get this and who is spreading this. If this is true, I can't understand why Michael would keep gettign himself into trouble like that.

 

 

the guy who wrote this is Rodger Freeman and he writes alot of accurate artices. So accurate that even mjjsource used to post alot of them (when they made michael look good during the trial)

 

He wouldnt write something that is tabloidish and i trust him.

i've just added another article from vibe.com

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,179352,00.html

another article by Vibe.com

http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/20...hild_abduction/

 

I agree.Blah

Notice how they mentioned that Michael quit paying her.....

 

What a reason to sue, Debbie, what a reason to sue.

Edited December 23, 200520 yr by MJzLovely1