MJ's Credit was BAD! Claims in new book from former security guards.

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http://finance.yahoo.com/news/michael-jacksons-credit-bad-iphone-040200625.html


Michael Jackson's credit was so bad that his iPhone had to be set up under another name

When the first iPhone came out in 2007, everyone wanted to try Apple's next big gadget — including the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

But the singer may not have had access to the hottest piece of tech if it weren't for his security guard.

In a new book out today, "Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days," two of Jackson's security guards, Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard, reveal what it was like working with the artist during the final years of his life.

The book details how poorly Jackson's financial situation was handled — a t one point, Whitfield says he overheard Jackson say he had no idea where his money was or how much he had — and how both guards weren't paid for months on end.

Nevertheless, the star still managed to drop thousands of dollars on FAO Schwarz toy trips and miscellaneous purchases ranging from a nearly seven-foot-tall Tinkerbell replica to $1,000 on a theater display for "The Simpsons Movie."

About halfway through the book, Whitfield recalls how Jackson wanted the iPhone when it first came out.

Whitfield said after Beard stood for two and a half hours in line to make the purchase, he was asked by Jackson to set up the phone.

What should have been a simple task ended up turning into a nightmare.

As Whitfield recalls:

"I had all his personal information, so I said sure. I first tried to set it up in his name, but after running Michael Jackson's Social Security number, AT&T wanted a $1,500 deposit. Just to turn on a cell phone. That's how bad his credit was. I went ahead and set up the account in my name. Then he wanted an iPhone for his mom, so he could send her pictures of the kids. I set up his mother's cell phone in my name too."

Whitfield said eventually Jackson's number was changed and the bill for both phone accounts was never paid.

"The charges had run up close to two thousand dollars, and they got disconnected," said Whitfield.
 
like his manipulative mother ever cared for those children. How could he not see her flaws. She cared for him because he was her dearest ATM.

As for these bodyguards. Whatever.
 
Yep, 20 years from now there will be more books about stuff like this, Hopefully in 500 years after we are all gone from this earth they will leave poor Michael alone and he can finally rest in peace.

p/s.. Don't buy that tabloid book!
 
Guy's who in their right mind would destroy their precious credit/credit report for another? I just don't know if I can believe anything these guy's are saying.

These bodyguard's say Michael had plenty of money to spend on stuff, shopping sprees, but his credit report is bunk. If Michael had that much money to go on spending sprees, then why didn't Michael just put up the money to get the phone in his own name? To reestablish his credit? Then the bodyguard gets 2 lines in his name, credit, credit report and then there is an outstanding debt under this guy's name? How does he propose to even get a car on approved credit and especially with how the rules have changed, which by the way is a lot harder to purchase even a home, much less a car.

Just like in Michael's case, bad credit will be sold to some bottom feeder. How does the bodyguard propose he will be able to get a credit card in his name with outstanding debt? The interest rate alone will be ridiculously high that what would be the point of ever having purchases on credit or a loan. Does the bodyguard even understand his story or is he just saying this to make you think he is some kind of a good guy, a real sacrificial lamb, a good Samaritan and his bum employer, the deceased Michael Jackson took advantage of him. Yet, poor ol' Michael is portrayed according to the 2 bodyguard's as some sort of sad sap. Strange fiction I gotta tell ya!


2012112203720_imagesCAZA05DI.jpg
 
I thought he got the IPhones and Macs directly from Steve Jobs since they knew each other. That's what been said before.
 
This is really no different than the usual way people seem to cry the blues to folks when they talk about Michael. It's the same thing over and over and over again. "I tried to help Michael. But he took advantage of me and caused me to go downhill." And it's always years after the fact that they say these things. And especially after Michael has died. I'm sorry. I know Michael wasn't perfect. But why are these people's problems ALWAYS Michael's fault?
 
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Michael's bad credit rating was brought out the same year he died, so it is not surprise by any means.
He had bad credit score because who ever was responsible paying his bills, didn't do good job (accountant or manager). He was cash poor but asset rich.
 
Yep, 20 years from now there will be more books about stuff like this, Hopefully in 500 years after we are all gone from this earth they will leave poor Michael alone and he can finally rest in peace.

p/s.. Don't buy that tabloid book!

In this case this "juicy" part is good publicity. Haters will buy it and will be shocked how positive it is. They will find too many things they are trying to deny MJ off. And many fans already red the book. Yesterday in my local Barnes and Noble it was one of the best sellers.
 
I thought he got the IPhones and Macs directly from Steve Jobs since they knew each other. That's what been said before.

I don't think he had courage in the beginning to talk to Steve Jobs as well as the other big names. After him coming back to US he was very insecure.
 
Michael's bad credit rating was brought out the same year he died, so it is not surprise by any means.
He had bad credit score because who ever was responsible paying his bills, didn't do good job (accountant or manager). He was cash poor but asset rich.

I smell conspiracy written all over who gave Michael bad credit score that stupid b@$^@% is gonna pay for giving Michael a bad credit. And as usual I'm not gonna waste my $$$ on that another lie off the book.
 
Guy's who in their right mind would destroy their precious credit/credit report for another? I just don't know if I can believe anything these guy's are saying.

These bodyguard's say Michael had plenty of money to spend on stuff, shopping sprees, but his credit report is bunk. If Michael had that much money to go on spending sprees, then why didn't Michael just put up the money to get the phone in his own name? To reestablish his credit? Then the bodyguard gets 2 lines in his name, credit, credit report and then there is an outstanding debt under this guy's name? How does he propose to even get a car on approved credit and especially with how the rules have changed, which by the way is a lot harder to purchase even a home, much less a car.

Just like in Michael's case, bad credit will be sold to some bottom feeder. How does the bodyguard propose he will be able to get a credit card in his name with outstanding debt? The interest rate alone will be ridiculously high that what would be the point of ever having purchases on credit or a loan. Does the bodyguard even understand his story or is he just saying this to make you think he is some kind of a good guy, a real sacrificial lamb, a good Samaritan and his bum employer, the deceased Michael Jackson took advantage of him. Yet, poor ol' Michael is portrayed according to the 2 bodyguard's as some sort of sad sap. Strange fiction I gotta tell ya!


2012112203720_imagesCAZA05DI.jpg

Unfortunately it is true about MJ that he had problem with his credit score at that time and bodyguard don't blame him but his financial management. Yes, those guys admitted they were fans of him and they did it for him because they loved him. His family for sure would not do it but some fans would...
 
I don't think he had courage in the beginning to talk to Steve Jobs as well as the other big names. After him coming back to US he was very insecure.

Every time a new Mac or phone got out Apple sent it to Michael. He got so many IPhones and IPods that he gave them away to friends and family. And that is because Steve knew Michael. He wasn't afraid to talk to Steve.
 
^^Yeah, I read about it as well before. I don't understand where they got about the iPhones under different names since Steve Jobs himself gifted them to Michael.

Even if it was true how bad his credit was, how did they know? Who are they to discuss that matter? They weren't Michael's financial advisors or accountants by any means.
 
Steve Jobs Required Sony VAIO Laptops to Run Mac OS X

Steve Jobs wanted to run Mac OS X on Sony VAIO laptops, according to a report from Japanese writer Nobuyuki Hayashi.

Akio Morita, the co-founder of Sony, was a hero to Steve Jobs & Morita moreover adored Jobs. “There are actually two American youngsters Morita was particularly fond of & took satisfactory care of: One was Michael Jackson, & the other was Steve Jobs” recalls Kunitake Ando, the ex-president of Sony, Inc.
Ando said that Morita often invited Jackson & Jobs to Sony & gave them personal tours. Due to their close relationship, the companies moreover worked together on some projects. For example, Apple’s QuickTime team had helped Sony develop their ATRAC audio file format.


However, most notably, Steve Jobs actually wanted Sony to run Mac OS X on their VAIO notebooks, reveals Hayashi.

Most of Sony’s executives spend their winter holiday in Hawaii & play golf after celebrating new year. In one of those new year golf competitions back in 2001, ” Steve Jobs & another Apple executive were waiting for us at the end of golf course holding VAIO running Mac OS” recalls Ando; 2001 is the year, Mac OS X shipped & I am speculating this is Intel-version of Mac OS X, they hid for four & half years since then.

Sony VAIO
While Ando liked Jobs, the timing was offensive for the company. It had just finished optimizing VAIO’s hardware & software specifically for Windows & the team behind the computer opposed the move, asking ‘if it is worth it.’ Thus, the idea never became reality.

Ando recalls that Steve Jobs would casually visit Sony. “He always calls me out of sudden & asks ‘can I go visit you today?’” recalls Ando. And as shortly as he enters Sony buildings, he explore it at his free will saying “everything I’ve ever wanted to do is already done at Sony. He often demanded to bring the latest Sony products to him. And in most cases, he already knew very well approximately the products inside out.”

“Steve Jobs always had opinion on each of our product” said Ando. “When we launched PSP (PlayStation Protable), he complained why we were still using discs. He told discs are so out-of-date.”

Notably, Ando reveals that Steve Jobs was the inspiration behind GPS in its Cybershot cameras. Taking a Cybershot in his hand Jobs said, “if this thing had a built-in GPS, I can record everything that happens to my life.” Sony took that device & now many of its cameras do have built-in GPS. Ando says “this idea of built-in GPS for camera originated from Steve Jobs.”

Finally, Jobs was very interested in SonyStyle, the company’s retail business. He asked Ando why they were running it & how. Ando explained “volume resellers would sell your products well yet they don’t tell the customers what you want to do with your products. And that is what we want to do at our retail store.”

“And that is exactly what we need” replied Steve Jobs.


http://techfat.com/2014/02/05/steve-jobs-wanted-sony-vaio-mac-os-x/


[video=vimeo;16578701]http://vimeo.com/16578701[/video]
 
Michael's bad credit rating was brought out the same year he died, so it is not surprise by any means.
He had bad credit score because who ever was responsible paying his bills, didn't do good job (accountant or manager). He was cash poor but asset rich.

Yes, he was just going through financial difficulties temporarily as any normal person on the planet. In Michael's case, managers did not do the thing properly and it is not our business to know. Well, anyway, we'll never know the truth about the facts. Sad that Michael continued having the wrong people in his life. BUT who has not passed for this at least once in their life (financial difficulties)? Michael being broke and be going bankrupt? I do not believe in this tale.
 
^Neither do I since Russell Simons has been responsible to spread bankrupsy rumors. It's not the same going through financial difficulties than being broke.
 
^^Yeah, I read about it as well before. I don't understand where they got about the iPhones under different names since Steve Jobs himself gifted them to Michael.

Even if it was true how bad his credit was, how did they know? Who are they to discuss that matter? They weren't Michael's financial advisors or accountants by any means.

Steve J could have given MJ a new phone, but don't forget that former bodyguard testified during AEG trial that MJ lost 27 mobile phones, and didn't one of the bg's say that at one time when MJ was using their phone, he threw their mobile phones out of the window because he received some bad news. So the one Jobs gave to MJ could have been lost and he needed new one.

How they found out MJ's bad credit rating was because MJ asked them to set up iPhone for him,
"I had all his personal information, so I said sure. I first tried to set it up in his name, but after running Michael Jackson's Social Security number, AT&T wanted a $1,500 deposit. Just to turn on a cell phone. That's how bad his credit was. I went ahead and set up the account in my name. Then he wanted an iPhone for his mom, so he could send her pictures of the kids. I set up his mother's cell phone in my name too."

Basically AT&T told him (bodyguard) that after running credit rating, they wanted big deposit, and to avoid it, they set it up on his name.

Seriously that bad credit rating it not that big of a deal. If you google billionaires with poor credit rating, you would be surprised.

Yes, he was just going through financial difficulties temporarily as any normal person on the planet. In Michael's case, managers did not do the thing properly and it is not our business to know. Well, anyway, we'll never know the truth about the facts. Sad that Michael continued having the wrong people in his life. BUT who has not passed for this at least once in their life (financial difficulties)? Michael being broke and be going bankrupt? I do not believe in this tale.

We know the loans against his catalogue and other financial issues, so MJ's financial situation is known to us.
I have read many times that MJ wasn't aware of what was in his bank account and he wasn't aware of his staff wasn't been paid at some times, but we also know that staff wasn't allowed to talk their salary directly to Michael (source AEG trial), but we also know that MJ was trying to get his issues sorted out and as per one of the note brought out in AEG trial, he wrote that from now on he wants to sign all the checks over 5 thousand.
 
I thought they said in the book it´s the first Iphone that came out that Michael wanted? In 2007.
 
Virre;4017180 said:
I thought they said in the book it´s the first Iphone that came out that Michael wanted? In 2007.

Could be anything. MJ wanted that iPhone and lost it, or Jobs sent him one and he lost it, so he got bg's to get him new one. I know more when I read the book, but I still wouldn't take everything that I read quite literally.
 
Even if it was true how bad his credit was, how did they know? Who are they to discuss that matter?

How they found out MJ's bad credit rating was because MJ asked them to set up iPhone for him,
"I had all his personal information, so I said sure. I first tried to set it up in his name, but after running Michael Jackson's Social Security number, AT&T wanted a $1,500 deposit. Just to turn on a cell phone. That's how bad his credit was. I went ahead and set up the account in my name. Then he wanted an iPhone for his mom, so he could send her pictures of the kids. I set up his mother's cell phone in my name too."

Basically AT&T told him (bodyguard) that after running credit rating, they wanted big deposit, and to avoid it, they set it up on his name.

Just a FYI

In USA whenever you sign up for services - such as cell phone, electricity, cable tv etc- companies ask for your social security number to check for your credit score. It helps them to calculate the risk of whether a person would pay their bill or not. If the credit score is bad they would ask for a safety deposit - a certain amount of money that they could have if you don't pay your bill.

So as Bubs said BG's tried to set up an account under MJ's name and social security, AT&T run MJ's credit score and as it was bad it asked for a safety deposit.

When I first immigrated to USA and tried to have cable and electricity service in my rented apartment I had to give hundreds dollars of safety deposit because I didn't have a credit score in USA.

I don't understand where they got about the iPhones under different names since Steve Jobs himself gifted them to Michael.

Also it's important to remember that Apple and cell service companies are different. Steve Jobs might have gifted MJ hundreds of iPhones but they would still need to be set up with AT&T or other carriers for cell phone service. In other words Steve Jobs giving free phones to MJ doesn't mean AT&T would give free service to him as well.
 
Here's the reason why the bodyguard's went with AT & T, too, instead of another provider. Just interesting tech stuff...

Apple, AT&T struck five-year deal in 2007; now, who knows?

Though we’ve been hearing about the exclusive deal between Apple and AT&T since the latter was still going by its maiden name, Cingular, the exact terms of that deal have long been shrouded in mystery. Now, a court filing from 2008 gives us another data point, even if it does little to shed light on where the partnership currently stands.

Tech blog Engadget perused some recently released documents in an ongoing class action suit, originally filed in 2007, alleging that AT&T and Apple held a monopoly over iPhone service by locking customers into a multi-year deal that extended beyond the two-year contract customers had to sign (by virtue of the fact that no other network offered the iPhone.)

In arguing against this, Apple filed a brief in October 2008 stating that there was absolutely nothing secretive about the exclusivity deal. As evidence, the company cited a 2007 USA Today article:

The duration of the exclusive Apple-ATTM agreement was not “secret” either. The [Revised Consolidated Amended Complaint] quotes a May 21, 2007 USA Today article—published over a month before the iPhone’s release—stating, “AT&T has exclusive U.S. distribution rights for five years—an eternity in the go-go cellphone world.”

That USA Today article is itself the source of most, if not all, allegations of the contract’s five-year term; neither Apple nor AT&T has ever spoken on the record about the length of the deal. Further confusion stems from the fact that multiple sources later began referring to the iPhone deal as expiring in 2010—including Leslie Cauley, the very same USA Today writer who penned that 2007 article.

So, as far as we know, the actual contract is a riddle, gift-wrapped in an enigma, parachuted onto the island in Lost. And then eaten by a polar bear.

Of course, the likely answer here (as Engadget acknowledges) is that Apple and AT&T have renegotiated the contract after that first deal—and it’s pretty clear that two have renegotiated at least once. Recall that in the case of the original iPhone, AT&T sold the handset entirely unsubsidized and dished Apple a cut of subscriber revenue. But, when the two partnered up again for the iPhone 3G, they dropped the revenue sharing agreement and added subsidies to make the phones more affordable. Such a change in terms could require a new contract, or at least an amendment to the original document, so it's not inconceivable that the length of the deal changed as well.

Given that Apple has released the iPhone 3GS since then, and is pretty likely to release a new iPhone this summer, one lingering question is exactly how broad the agreements are: does the original deal cover every model of iPhone? Or must a new agreement be reached for each subsequent version?

Either way, all the court documents tell us is that upon the original iPhone’s release in 2007, Apple had signed a five-year exclusivity deal with AT&T. While that may be cold comfort to those eagerly awaiting a Verizon iPhone, take heart: you’re technically no further from it today than you were yesterday—you’re just more confused.


http://www.macworld.com/article/1151172/apple_att_deal.html
 
You know how the publishing book companies are, right? It gives me the impression the publisher asked them to include something that would create controversy, being salacious to publish the book. Michael's finances and his love life.
 
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