Jackson Estate Sues Heal the World Foundation

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Jackson Estate Sues Heal the World

Posted Sep 29th 2009 7:25PM by TMZ Staff
0626_michael_jackson_ex_16.jpg
Michael Jackson's estate has filed a lawsuit against the Heal the World Foundation.

The Special Administrators, John Branca and John McClain, have alleged in the suit the Foundation is using Jackson's name and likeness without permission.

According to the lawsuit the Foundation and other related entities have registered 6 trademarks and have applied with 41 additional ones, all suggesting a connection to Jackson.

The legal papers acknowledge Jackson founded his own Heal the World Foundation in 1992 but it has no connection to the defendants.

The suit alleges the defendants cybersquatted various domain names, including "mjaid.net," "healthworldfoundation.net," and "mjquotes.net."

For all those who've abused & stole from MJ:


 
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Interesting. I remember there were previous posts about this "charity" being a fraud. They are getting sued for "using Jackson's name and likeness without permission." Makes me wonder who else the estate would be willing to sue?
 
I think we can have it here so far... Thanks for posting.
 
Wasn't Rabbi Schmuck-ley part of Heal the World Foundation & reason why MJ decided to take it all down?

The original Heal The World foundation? Not that I know of. It was the L'Chaim Society which Heal the Kids (HTK is what MJ was involved with) fell under. That's the "charity" that had the "missing" money.
 
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Wasn't Rabbi Schmuck-ley part of Heal the World Foundation & reason why MJ decided to take it all down?

I think Heal the Kids was different.

But SCHMUCK-LEY.... needs to provide tangible evidence that MJ authorized him to release the tapes / book .. if he can't then SCHMUCK needs to be sued.
and anyone else tarnishing MJs life and legacy with unfounded accusations.
 
The Estate better start suing a few others so that they will stop writing bullshit books..and making money on Michael's name.
 
Herer is another report with a statement from the estate's special administrators:
Michael Jackson Estate Sues Heal The World Foundation

by Paul Cashmere - September 30 2009
The estate of the late Michael Jackson has filed a lawsuit against the Heal The World Foundation for exploiting his death by unlawfully seeking trademarks using the name `Michael Jackson` and phrases such as `King Of Pop`, `Heal The World`, `MJ`, Neverland` and `Thriller`.
They claim the charity is deceiving the public into thinking they operate the charities and are fooling fans into believing they are making donations in Michael’s name.
Michael Jackson himself set up a Heal The World Foundation in 1992 but it was disbanded in 2002. A separate charity using the name Heal The World Foundation but with no association to Jackson was started in 2008.
The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court of Los Angeles today by Jackson Estate administrators John Braca and John McClain. "John McClain and I as Special Administrators will continue to be vigilant in protecting Michael's legacy from unauthorized exploitation and in protecting Michael’s fans from being deceived,” Braca said today in a statement.
The defendants have registered six trademarks and applied for 41 more. The lawsuit claims that the trademarks “uniquely and unmistakably point to Mr. Jackson and his persona” and are intended “to cause confusion, mistake and to deceive.”
CBS News have also been targeting the charity calling it “a magnet for fans searching for a Michael Jackson charity.”
A statement from the Jackson Estate today reads, “While Mr. Jackson did found his own Heal the World Foundation in 1992, it had no connection to the defendants and, in fact, became dormant before he died. Mr. Jackson named his legitimate foundation after his iconic song that urged peace, unity, compassion and understanding, which he would later cite as the song he was most proud of writing. Mr. Jackson performed the song during halftime at Super Bowl XXVII, and it was featured prominently at the conclusion of Mr. Jackson’s memorial service in Los Angeles on July 7, 2009”.


http://undercover.com.au/News-Story...Jackson_Estate_Sues_Heal_The_World_Foundation


I find it despicable that people are exploiting MJ's death to that extent. These HTWF people are no better than the fake rabbi.
 
Isn't Heal The World Michael's foundation? Am I missing something? Why is the estate suing his foundation? I'm lost.


From Wikipedia (an excerpt, see full article here):

Heal the Kids

In February 2001, Jackson launched Heal the Kids, an initiative of HTWF and part of the foundation's attempt to boost children's welfare.[15] Jackson launched the charity initiative, stating, "Heal the Kids will help adults and parents realize it's in our power to change the world our children live in".[16]
Jackson gave a speech at Oxford University about raising children, as part of the launch of his "Heal the Kids" initiative. In the speech, Jackson spoke rhetorically of his children, "What if they grow older and resent me, and how my choices impacted their youth?...Why weren't we given a normal childhood like all the other children? And at that moment I pray that my children will give me the benefit of the doubt. That they will say to themselves: Our daddy did the best he could, given the unique circumstances he faced. I hope that they will focus on the positives things, on the sacrifices I willingly made for them...". Journalist J. Randy Taraborrelli concluded that Jackson's performance during the speech was "absorbing" and well received.[17]

Disbandment

In 2002, the Heal the World Foundation was suspended, after failing to file yearly accounting statements, required for tax-exempt organizations. Records showed that the foundation had net assets of $3,542 and reported $2,585 in expenses. The foundation did not have a director, president or other top manager besides Jackson, who was listed as chairman.[10]

Name confusion

A separate charity named 'Heal the World Foundation was set up in 2008. On August 11, 2009, CBS News reported that: "... representatives of the Jackson estate say the foundation is not linked, "The Michael Jackson estate has no connection whatsoever to the "Heal the World Foundation” run by Melissa Johnson," said Terry Fahn, a spokesperson for John Branca, the special administrator of the Jackson estate."[1]
 
From Wikipedia (an excerpt, see full article here):

Heal the Kids

In February 2001, Jackson launched Heal the Kids, an initiative of HTWF and part of the foundation's attempt to boost children's welfare.[15] Jackson launched the charity initiative, stating, "Heal the Kids will help adults and parents realize it's in our power to change the world our children live in".[16]
Jackson gave a speech at Oxford University about raising children, as part of the launch of his "Heal the Kids" initiative. In the speech, Jackson spoke rhetorically of his children, "What if they grow older and resent me, and how my choices impacted their youth?...Why weren't we given a normal childhood like all the other children? And at that moment I pray that my children will give me the benefit of the doubt. That they will say to themselves: Our daddy did the best he could, given the unique circumstances he faced. I hope that they will focus on the positives things, on the sacrifices I willingly made for them...". Journalist J. Randy Taraborrelli concluded that Jackson's performance during the speech was "absorbing" and well received.[17]
Disbandment

In 2002, the Heal the World Foundation was suspended, after failing to file yearly accounting statements, required for tax-exempt organizations. Records showed that the foundation had net assets of $3,542 and reported $2,585 in expenses. The foundation did not have a director, president or other top manager besides Jackson, who was listed as chairman.[10]
Name confusion

A separate charity named 'Heal the World Foundation was set up in 2008. On August 11, 2009, CBS News reported that: "... representatives of the Jackson estate say the foundation is not linked, "The Michael Jackson estate has no connection whatsoever to the "Heal the World Foundation” run by Melissa Johnson," said Terry Fahn, a spokesperson for John Branca, the special administrator of the Jackson estate."[1]

Thanks for the info!:p
 
I did join that htw and was going to give money then i saw on the news that michael disbanded his htw so I cancel my menbership and that this htw was asking the courts to let them use MJ name I think that this htw is a scam
 
Interesting. I remember there were previous posts about this "charity" being a fraud. They are getting sued for "using Jackson's name and likeness without permission." Makes me wonder who else the estate would be willing to sue?

It's kinda sad all of that... those websites have nice info about Michael...
 
I smell a rat.

So I want to know whether the Jackson's decided to sue or just Branca and McClain in, because I suspected all along that the reason to discredit HTWF from MJ was so HTWF would be entitiled to any money from the estate. It is questionable about whether MJ really wanted Branca as exectutor of the will , when he fired him in 2006 for realising he wasn't representing his best interests and a mystery why there is not another will, also the validity of the will is questionable, when the childrens' names aren't even correct. Also Branca and Mclain are exectutive producers of This is it movie.

I also suspected that it is possible that the two people placed around forums to discredit HTWF were paid by Branca and co to do so.

This discrediting of HTWF has been orchestrated.

I read Melissa story on how she got the names of HTWF and the phone call representing MJ and I believe this is possible. MJ knew he was doing the concerts and maybe he wanted to get it going again.

I think it is likely Michael would have said when he was alive if it wasn't, after all Mellissa came on here and said so and was very blantant everywhere while Michael was alive,we know MJ cruised the forum, so IMO he had plenty of time to have said so if it was fake.

Please keep an open mind on the tactics going on here. If this is what is going on, this is final assault on MJ legacy because of the greed of others ie Branca and Mclain.
 
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Well, we've been suspecting for a while that the current HTWF is no longer associated with Michael......seems like we were right...

Glad to see that the estate is taking action. And they shouldn't stop here.
 
this is massive! Branca's team is doing an excellent job in protecting the copyrights and MJs legacy!
Well done !
 
The current incarnation of HTWF was very dubious from the very start. Me and others have said so from the very beginning. And still people decided to give them money. The whole organisation and structure, the registering before being able to get any info had a bad smell to it.

It's the estate that is filing. And although you can ask many questions about the executors, it's nonsense to say they are filing to avoid HTWF to get money from the estate. Because they use Michaels name and image to get money from fans and other givers.

But they don't have a legal status or whatsoever. It's a very questionable organisation, if you can call it that. And it's good that someone is doing something about it.
 
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