With 'Friends' Like These

[Victorious]

With “Friends” Like These​

Dan Karaty

16 min read
·
Apr 27, 2026



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With no more opportunities to capitalize, Michael Jackson’s “friends” have one last card to play.
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As toddlers, my kids first heard Michael Jackson’s music in the car and around the house. Unsurprisingly, they loved his music and videos, and continued to watch and listen over the years. Now as teenagers, they’ve taken a greater interest, went to see MJ The Musical, and are looking forward to the biopic, Michael.
Of course, the timing of threats from the Cascio family, Michael’s latest accusers, and their vicious PR campaign, is no coincidence. With the film’s release, the opportunists are once again trying to unfairly capitalize on his name. It’s time for me to add some context.

The Cascio family flip-flop now that Michael is conveniently dead:​

No matter what side of the argument you’re on, the life and times of the “falsely accused” or “guilty as hell” superstar is a fascinating and uncomfortable read. To be honest, for many years, despite my universally positive personal interactions with Michael Jackson, including unforgettable experiences at Neverland, I drifted back-and-forth between the two diametrically opposed labels. The relentless noise from all sides was deafening and confusing. But now, after digesting the avalanche of allegations made by the Cascios, Michael Jackson’s “second family,” the initial wave of strong feelings of sadness and anger which washed over me have been replaced by disgust.
First and foremost, it’s awfully convenient that Michael is dead and can’t defend himself against the latest salacious and nonsensical allegations of sexual abuse. It would be far more difficult to betray him if these fierce defenders-turned-accusers had to look him in the eye.
While Michael was alive, the Cascios and other close “friends” didn’t just defend him publicly and in the courts. They privately offered consistent, unsolicited proclamations in his defense. Then, for years after he died, they continued to passionately support him in interviews, tributes, books, on Oprah, and anywhere else they could garner attention for Michael and themselves. But when the benefits of their proximity ran dry, their stories flipped on a dime.
For years, I was very good friends with the Cascios. Through school and soccer, I was first connected with extended members of the family. A few years later, I began teaching dance to their kids, Marie-Nicole and Aldo. That is when our relationship blossomed. Their mother, Connie, introduced me to her older sons, Frank and Eddie, and we became fast friends. We all spent time together at their house, my parent’s dance studio, and dance competitions. Michael Jackson was their long-time family friend, and a huge inspiration and influence on me, so we bonded over him. They were also aware of my close friendship with one of Michael’s protégés, Wade Robson.

Wade Robson didn’t tell the whole story in the one-sided documentary:​

Wade was one of the main subjects of Leaving Neverland, the suspiciously one-sided documentary attacking Michael, full of now-debunked timelines from both of the film’s accusers. Wade was my roommate and choreography collaborator for years. We were “boys” — young dreamers thriving in Hollywood, chasing girls, working on MTV projects, Britney Spears commercials, and NSYNC world tours. Oh the stories I could tell. But today, the most important one is how my former friends’ full-throated defense of Michael, while he was alive, turned into horrific accusations once Michael had passed… after opportunities to capitalize on Michael ceased to exist.
Case in point: Wade testified on Michael’s behalf in his brutal legal battle against Jordan Chandler, the boy who’s father accused Michael Jackson of sexually abusing his son in 1993. Wade passionately denied Michael ever abused him.
Then, according to multiple sources, after hearing the tragic news of Michael’s untimely death in 2009, Wade declared, “now, Jordy Chandler is going to admit it was all a lie.” It goes without saying that Wade wouldn’t make such a statement if he too had suffered abuse.
Even more telling, following Michael’s death, Wade paid tribute to his mentor, continued to express his love and admiration for him, and even performed in gloves given to him by Michael in an attempt to feel emotionally and spiritually closer to him. The opportunities to speak and perform were welcome events for Robson as his career had waned due to fallouts with both the NSYNC/Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears camps. Wade foolishly had an affair with Britney behind Justin’s back, and I witnessed it unfold.
Admittedly, I should have attempted to stop Wade from stabbing Justin, his friend and boss, in the back. But sadly, I didn’t. I was young and dumb. I didn’t want to damage the relationship because Justin had given Wade’s music producing career a huge boost. Timberlake would periodically visit the house which I shared with Wade and his mother in Northridge, California. The home was equipped with a full-blown music studio which Michael helped set up. We would work, play, eat and sleep in there. Wade more than anyone. If we weren’t on set, in the dance studio, or taking random trips to skydive or visit the Neverland Ranch, you could find Wade at the mixing board. Justin and Wade would write and record music together, and, at times, just hang out. Other days, Britney sent cars to the house to pick Wade up since he didn’t drive. He’d visit wherever she was staying, and would return a few hours later. Justin confronted Wade about the affair. And their relationship was destroyed. To understand how things played out, take a listen to Timberlake’s classic revenge song Cry Me A River. Then, with the failed launch of Wade’s own music career, in which he was presented as the “white Will Smith,” Wade’s previously upward trajectory and wealth was torpedoed.

Wade’s final attempt to benefit from Michael before making salacious accusations:​

In 2011, Wade attempted to again profit from his relationship with Michael by asking to work on Cirque du Soleil’s the posthumous tribute show, MICHAEL JACKSON: ONE. In a letter Robson wrote to Cirque CCO, Jean-Francois Bouchard, he claimed, “There are very few subjects I know about more than Michael Jackson,” adding, that he wanted to make the show “amazing” for Michael’s legacy. Despite his desperate pleas to be involved, the project moved forward without Wade. It was widely reported that Wade was initially attached to the show but backed out for a directing gig. When the directing opportunity didn’t work out, Wade wanted back in, but was turned down. At the time, mutual friends told me Wade was “gutted, despondent, and struggling financially.” Then, in 2013, one month before the world premiere of Michael Jackson: One, Wade filed his lawsuit alleging Michael molested him as a child.

The Many Ways The Cascios Attempted To Get Paid:​

The Cascios, after previously being low-key about their relationship with Michael, took the opportunity to appear on Oprah following his death. They not only showered praise on Michael in every way imaginable, they used the platform to defend him against earlier child molestation accusations. One of the Cascio brothers even offered the detail of when their father, Dominic Sr., pulled them aside and asked if Michael had ever acted inappropriately with them. They said “never.”
Soon after their appearance on Oprah, the oldest brother, Frank Cascio, wrote a book about Michael for which he received a $300,000 advance. And, Eddie Cascio released songs he apparently recorded with Michael in his home studio in 2007. I sat in that same studio with Eddie as he played those songs for me before releasing them. They were good, but not on the level of iconic hits we always expected of Jackson. I wondered why he had never shared them with me before that day, but didn’t give it much thought considering his relationship with Michael. Jackson fans, however, were incensed upon the songs’ inclusion on his posthumous album, Michael, declaring the vocals were in fact not Michael’s and boycotted their release. A consumer fraud lawsuit file by Vera Serova led to a settlement where the songs were removed from the album and streaming platforms. Tellingly, I later learned that Eddie ran to the Copyright Office with his songs just two days after Michael died. TWO DAYS! While telling the world they were in mourning, the family was actually making plans for a future payday. One has to wonder why they didn’t move to copyright those songs while Michael was alive. Oh wait, we do know why. As the years passed and opportunities to benefit from their relationship with Michael all but disappeared, the Cascios’ position on Michael changed as well.

The Cascios Called Wade a Liar:​

But not before both Frank and Eddie Casio contacted me following Wade’s stunning allegations against Michael in 2013. I was shocked by Wade’s flip-flopping declaration, but the Cascios were furious. They couldn’t believe my friend, Wade, would do this to Michael. Both declared, “He’s lying.” They were incredulous. I agreed. In all the time I lived, worked, and spent with Wade, he never even hinted at anything negative regarding Michael. In fact, it was the complete opposite. Wade, and his mother, Joy, always spoke glowingly of Michael. When Michael would call the Northridge house, the excitement was palpable. Michael was a regular part of our daily conversations, a driving force of inspiration in the music and choreography which Wade and I worked on together. Seemingly, Michael was the person Wade was most grateful for in his life. Because of Wade’s love and admiration for Michael, I never once asked about the past allegations. Regardless, Wade and Joy defended him every chance they had.

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Initially, I was skeptical of Wade’s molestation claims. But I was also confused. So, I immediately reached out, despite not speaking to Wade for a few years. He never responded. I was one of many people he chose to no longer contact. Most of us had intimate knowledge of Wade’s relationship with Michael. How awful it must have been for my friend to suffer at the hands of the man he so looked up to as a child. But did he?

The Neverland Ranch:​

On a visit to the Neverland Ranch for Wade’s birthday in 2000, we had an unexpected and amazing dinner with Michael. It was unexpected because Wade and Joy didn’t think Michael was going to be there. Apparently, due to his nonstop work and travel schedule, Michael was only there a handful of times during their visits over the years. Perhaps that’s why Wade made the curious decision to bring his girlfriend, Mayte, while still dating Michael’s niece, Brandi Jackson. Obviously, bringing Mayte, who, interestingly, was Prince’s ex-wife, could’ve made things awkward. Nevertheless, The King of Pop was gracious, down to earth, and genuinely interested to hear everyone was enjoying themselves. He asked me about my goals and dreams, and I remember being struck by his powerful presence in the room. I witnessed the respect, love, and friendship between Michael and Wade for myself. Besides the fact that we were sitting with Michael Jackson and his kids were there too, there was nothing remarkable, weird, or uncomfortable about the situation. Everyone was relaxed and happy.
The ranch was a dream land. We walked the zoo, took rides in the amusement park, watched a film in the movie theater, and had an epic battle in the water forts. We took ATVs out into the open land where Joy unfortunately had an accident. That was the sole negative of the birthday trip, everything else was incredible. Additional friends joined us for a day to continue the celebration. Wade loved being there, and he was excited to be sharing it with everyone. Michael being there was an unexpected and added bonus to the celebration.
The Cascios also visited Neverland and traveled with Michael countless times. Michael often stayed at the Cascio home in New Jersey too, including during Christmas holidays. He really did seem like part of their family. Dominic Sr. met Michael back in the 1990s when he was working at the Helmsley Palace Hotel in New York. Their relationship flourished over the years while Dominic and his wife, Connie, grew their family. Michael became a regular fixture in it.

The Cascios Defended Michael At Every Turn:​

I regularly visited the Cascio house as well. We spent hours watching home videos of them dancing together, they shared stories and gave me autographed gifts from Michael. At their backyard barbecues we would listen to his music and dance. Michael even came in disguise to my parents’ dance studio and watched the Cascio kids in my dance class. Dressed in a giant ski jacket, scarf, ski goggles and winter hat, Michael stood, surrounded by unknowing parents, at the observation window for about 30 minutes. Never had I been so nervous and excited to teach a class. The Cascios too defended Michael at every turn. From their mother, Connie, through the kids. “Michael would never hurt anyone,” Connie would regularly declare. When we hung out it was all Michael, all the time.
I always found it amusing when Frank and Eddie both tried to emulate Michael by speaking softly with a gentle tone, but I can imagine they just looked up to him a great deal. Both in their late teens at the time, the brothers revealed to me “secrets” they shared with Michael. They explained, now that they were older, he served them wine, or “Jesus Juice” as Michael referred to it, and how Michael was different in private than I would think. Michael cursed, drank, and had a “wild side,” they told me, presenting Michael as somewhat normal and just having fun, partying, and being cool. I remember being surprised by the Jesus Juice anecdote, but didn’t take the time to think about or understand if there was something deeper, more sinister at play. What I know is that these details about Michael were not well-kept secrets. If they were sharing them with me, surely I wasn’t the only one. Additionally, it’s not like I kept this information to myself. Back in Los Angeles with Wade, I told him what I heard about Michael, and he confirmed it. He even laughed about it. “Yeah, that’s Michael” was the attitude.

Wade Robson vs. The Cascios:​

The Cascios didn’t know Wade personally. But they knew of him, especially Frank and Eddie. Alternately, Wade did not know the Cascios. I don’t know why, but Frank and Eddie seemingly didn’t like Wade. They took countless opportunities to illustrate how they and their family were much closer to Michael, explaining that Wade didn’t see Michael much at all. So, when Wade made his bombshell accusations against Michael in 2013, it came as no surprise that they were furious! Again, both Frank and Eddie immediately contacted me to emphatically refute Wade’s accusations. There was no wavering on their part. The entire family was steadfast in their defense of Michael. Fast forward six years, Leaving Neverland came out and garnered quite a bit of attention. Suddenly the Cascios story changed too. Again, very convenient. I’ve been told the family was blindsided by being left out of Michael’s Will. Frank and Eddie were clearly out of ideas on how to capitalize from their decades-long friendship with, and loyalty to Michael. Now, they watched as Wade made accusations they unequivocally opposed. But those accusations could be setting up a huge payday for Wade. So, it’s not hard to imagine the Cascios thinking, “We were Michael’s family. If Wade and others are going to get paid, we deserve to get paid too!”
In both cases, when it made sense to defend Michael, they did…clearly and passionately. But after Michael died, and the opportunities to benefit dried up, they flipped. Wade’s once promising music career had fizzled, Michael was no longer a part of his life, and now the MJ tribute train with posthumous shows and music was moving on without him. He only had one card left to play. The Cascios are more complicated.

I Repeat — The Cascios Were Left Out Of Michael’s Will:​

They really were Michael’s second family, and Jackson had already helped them financially in the past. For example, when Dominic Sr. wanted to open his new restaurant, Michael was there with money. Again, surprisingly, upon Michael’s passing, they were left out of the Will. They loved Michael. So, following his death, they were eager to share their stories with the world. There was also a desire to stay in the Estate’s good graces. However, the Estate was not in the business of just giving out money, Frank’s book and Eddie’s music didn’t amount to much, and now they’re watching Wade possibly cash in with allegations? Seems as if they too wanted to get paid for their years of loyalty, but at the expense of your “friends” legacy?
Michael Jackson died over sixteen years ago. Before and since then, we’ve had stories, court cases and documentaries declaring both his guilt and innocence in regards to child molestation. Most people are dug into their positions. In search of some common ground, we should at least be able to agree that many of his actions were, at a minimum, inappropriate. It’s important to note how medical professionals have concluded that Michael suffered from age regression as a result of childhood trauma, which would explain many of those behaviors. However, having sleepovers with children who are not your own is inappropriate. But you know what else is inappropriate? Allowing your children to have sleepovers with a man who is not their father.

What About The Parents? And Wade’s Mother Was In Love With Michael:​

The parents’ role in both these cases is appalling. If we suspend disbelief for a moment, ignore glaring realities, and believe the defenders turned accusers, then they should be going after their parents as vigorously as they are suing the Estate. Ah, but the parents have no money, the Estate has a lot. IF the accusations are true, I’m guessing and hoping the parents apologized profusely. Michael is dead, so he can’t apologize, or defend himself, or force his accusers to face him. Again, convenient to say the least.
Leaving Neverland showed the guilt felt by Wade’s mom, Joy, which she apparently still struggles with to this day. It also covers the supposed conflict within the family due to the alleged abuse. What it fails to talk about is the very important fact that Joy was in love with Michael Jackson, but was rejected by him. It was evident in how she spoke about him, especially during late night chats in our living room while watching Joy’s favorite show, Golden Girls. She also shared a memorable story about her love for Michael. According to multiple accounts, Joy wanted to confess her love to him, but was incredibly nervous to do so. While at Neverland, she and Michael took a long walk together and the conversation was increasingly uncomfortable and awkward. Michael finally stopped and asked Joy, “Are you trying to tell me you like me? That you like, like me?” Exhaling in relief that it was out there, Joy said “Yes Michael.” He apparently chuckled and dismissed her feelings by saying, “It’s okay, it happens to everybody.” Interestingly, Michael was honest in rejecting her love and light-heartedly quashed any chance of furthering the conversation. It strikes me as odd and contradictory for a man who was accused of deviantly “grooming” the family.
Joy not only saw opportunity for her son with Michael Jackson, she saw it for herself! She was enjoying the life Michael was helping them discover, and was in love with him. I wonder how it feels now that she is betraying that same man. Joy witnessed first hand the devastating effects these types of allegations had on Michael, and would become visibly upset and angry when talking about it. Yet, after being in love with and vigorously defending Michael, and supporting her son’s defense of him, she’s now joined the small chorus hoping for a payday.

The Cascios’ Betrayal Of Michael Is Worse Than Any Of The Others:​

As for the Cascios, the betrayal is even worse. As stated, they were his second family. How must it feel for the parents, Dominic Sr. and Connie, to watch their children join in destroying the legacy of a man that spent holidays with them? Sources close to the family say they are still a tight knit bunch. In their quest for a payday, the Cascio children insist they are not extorting the Estate, but are “seeking accountability.” Why aren’t the parents being held accountable for allowing their children to travel around the world with Michael unsupervised? Or leaving them alone with Michael for days? Michael wasn’t “grooming” them as has been alleged by a few opportunists. Michael befriended Dominic Sr. prior to the Cascios building a large family. They established and encouraged the relationship with their family. So, again I ask, why aren’t they being held accountable? Well, they have no money. In fact, after their first go-round with threatening the Estate, the entire family skipped town, moving from New Jersey to South Carolina. The motives for the move are many I’m sure, but hard not to think it was helpful to get away from so many people who know the truth. Much like how Wade cut off plenty of people with intimate knowledge of his relationship with Michael.
The Cascio children are alleging abuse and looking to get paid, including the only female, Marie-Nicole. This, despite her being an adamant defender of Michael over the years, well into her adult life. She outwardly and consistently shared her love and defense of Michael directly to me, and, as a child, relentlessly asked to use Jackson’s music, choreography and themes in routines for my dance classes. Curiously, reports describe how she once wrote a note to Michael expressing her sadness over not being accepted the same as the boys. She went as far as to say she doesn’t get to do the same things as the boys, including sleepovers with him. Yet, now she’s seeking a payout too?
How do all of these people sleep at night? I wonder if Frank and Eddie remember us sitting in their rooms while they blasted Michael’s song DS on repeat. The song is somewhat of a diss track about the district attorney, Tom Sneddon, who led the charge against Jackson in the 1993 child sex abuse case. The Cascio brothers passionately voiced their hatred and disgust for those that had an unwarranted vendetta against Michael, or just wanted his money. How times have changed.
I’ve said it once and I will continue to say it, Michael is dead. He can’t defend himself and face his former friends-turned-accusers. It’s inconvenient for him and the Estate. It’s perfect for the the Robsons, Cascios, and others who had years to come forward with allegations, but instead did the opposite, they vigorously defended him. Once he was gone, and so to were the opportunities to capitalize, the stories changed. It’s devastatingly awful if they’re telling the truth, but after they pleaded with us to believe them for all of those years in defense of Michael, why should we believe them now? What I saw, what I heard, and what I experienced tell a completely different story than what is being alleged by Michael’s “friends.”
After sharing this information with my kids, and now anyone who wants to read this, everyone is still free to draw their own conclusions. I simply feel it’s important to offer some more context to the situation. No doubt the debate will rage on. But remember:
Just because you read it in a magazine Or see it on the TV screen
Don’t make it factual, actual
You’re so damn disrespectable
- Michael Jackson (from his song Tabloid Junkie)
Michael Jackson
False Accusations
Allegations
Betrayal
Money Grabbing

Written by Dan Karaty​

24 followers
·1 following
With a degree in journalism from NYU, Dan combines his years of experience inside the entertainment industry with his love of writing.

 

[Victorious]

Sorry , just saw it was already posted in a thread

 

[SmoothCriminal1984]

Is rhis from media or fan?