Lawyers for Michael Jackson’s companies have accused choreographer Wade Robson of withholding evidence in his sex assault lawsuit against the late singer.
The 34-year-old dancer filed a late creditor’s claim against Jackson’s estate in 2013, claiming he was abused by Michael Jackson when he was aged between seven and 14, but a judge threw out his case in 2015 because Robson had filed the papers too late – four years after the singer’s death in 2009.
In September, he filed negligence claims against the executives of Jackson’s companies MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, claiming the covert purpose of the businesses was “to operate as a child sexual abuse operation”.
Lawyers representing these companies have now accused Robson of making “false statements under oath regarding the existence of documents and his search for documents”, withholding files that “should have been produced years ago” and redacting documents while making “frivolous assertions of privilege.”
They are calling for a judge to enforce more than $17,000 (£14,000) in sanctions for this alleged behaviour.
The choreographer’s lawyer Vince Finaldi has issued a statement claiming the new legal action is just an attempt to intimidate his client.
“Mr. Robson produced every single bit of discoverable information he possesses respective to this case many months ago,” he said to the New York Daily News. “This latest filing by the Jackson camp is nothing but a transparent attempt to smear and intimidate a sexual abuse victim and his family for having the courage to come forward and expose the evil child sexual abuse machines that Michael Jackson’s companies truly were.”
Robson had previously denied being molested when he testified for Jackson’s defence during his criminal sex abuse trial in 2005.
