A former member of Michael Jackson’s publicity team has reignited debate around the late singer’s legacy, saying he believes the child abuse allegations brought against the pop star were true, despite Jackson being acquitted in court.
Vincent Amen, who worked as a public relations agent for Jackson in the early 2000s, made the claims in a new Channel 4 documentary titled Michael Jackson: The Trial. The programme revisits the singer’s 2005 criminal case and explores allegations that have continued to follow Jackson long after his death.
Jackson faced trial after accusations by Gavin Arvizo, who alleged that the singer gave him alcohol, exposed him to explicit material and sexually abused him. After a highly publicised court process, Jackson was found not guilty on all counts. He died in 2009 following an overdose of a prescription anaesthetic.
In the documentary, Amen says his view of the pop star changed dramatically while working closely with him. He alleges that he came to believe the accusations were credible and claims there was a sustained effort to protect Jackson from accountability.
“I absolutely believe Michael Jackson was guilty of child abuse and molestation,” Amen says in the film. “I believe there was a cover-up that went on for years.”
Amen said he joined Jackson’s inner circle in 2003 to help manage the fallout from the controversial Martin Bashir documentary Living With Michael Jackson. While preparing for the singer’s upcoming trial, he claims he came across a naturist magazine among Jackson’s possessions.
According to Amen, the publication allegedly contained advertisements for videos involving naked children and had been marked for purchase. He said the discovery raised serious concerns and prompted him to question what he had previously believed.
“That was the moment I realised something wasn’t right,” he said. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
Amen said he later shared his concerns with prosecutors, though he was never called to testify during the trial. Reflecting on the decision, he said he does not regret speaking up.
“When I saw something that I believed pointed to child sexual abuse, I felt it was my responsibility to come forward,” he said.
The documentary also examines Jackson’s relationship with longtime associate and former PR manager Frank Cascio, as well as Cascio’s siblings Aldo, Marie-Nicole, Dominic and Eddie. The siblings, who previously defended Jackson publicly, have since accused him of sexual abuse, alleging they were groomed and manipulated while in his care.
They are now attempting to overturn a previous financial agreement with Jackson’s estate that prevents them from pursuing legal action. Amen noted that it is not uncommon for abuse survivors to disclose their experiences gradually over time.
“Victims often reveal what happened to them in stages,” he said. “It doesn’t all come out at once.”
Since Jackson’s death, allegations against him have continued to surface, most prominently through the documentaries Leaving Neverland and its sequel, which focused on claims by Wade Robson and James Safechuck and the lasting emotional and legal impact of their allegations.
