Michael Jackson accuser faces oath grilling as mother faces deportation

James Safechuck, one of the men who accused late pop star Michael Jackson of sexually abusing him as a child, is set to face questioning under oath on September 14.

Safechuck, now 48, is expected to be deposed in the revived lawsuit against companies linked to Jackson.

His mother, Stephanie Safechuck, will also face questioning on October 15 and 20, with her evidence regarded as crucial because of her family’s close relationship with the singer.

Safechuck and Wade Robson have alleged that Jackson abused them while they were minors at his Neverland Ranch. Jackson denied the allegations during his lifetime.

Court documents obtained by TMZ show that the upcoming depositions will examine the claims and the circumstances surrounding Safechuck’s relationship with Jackson’s family.

Stephanie featured prominently in the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, where she described how the singer became close to her family after meeting her nine-year-old son during a television commercial shoot.

She said Jackson’s attention initially felt like “a fairytale” and that she became swept up in the relationship.

According to her account, she and her husband eventually allowed James to sleep in Jackson’s room—a decision she later claimed marked the beginning of the alleged abuse.

Stephanie said she subsequently asked her son whether anything inappropriate had happened, but he denied it at the time.

The legal battle had suffered major setbacks before a California appeal court revived the claims in 2023.

In 2020, a Los Angeles judge ruled that Safechuck could not sue Jackson’s companies. A similar ruling was issued against Robson the following year.

But the appellate court later ruled that both men could revive their lawsuits against the companies, reopening a legal fight that had appeared to be over.

Michael Jackson faced several sexual-abuse allegations in the 1990s and remained the subject of controversy until his death in 2009.

The forthcoming depositions could provide fresh testimony about the allegations, the role of Jackson’s companies and what Safechuck’s mother knew about the relationship at the time.

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