LA, May 31: The curtain will rise again next month in the long-running drama of Michael Jackson, this time playing out as a bitter court fight between the reclusive entertainer and a top advisor that could offer a rare glimpse into his personal life and finances. Among the allegations that could spill into a Los Angeles courtroom are that the onetime King of Pop is broke, having squandered his fortune in "bizarre" ways while egged on by a string of "charlatans," "hangers-on," "hucksters," "impostors," "con artists," "sycophants" and "swindlers."
The claims are set out in a lawsuit brought by Jackson's former financial advisor, Myung-Ho Lee, and his firm Union Finance and Investment Corp., seeking $12 million for alleged breach of contract and fraud.
Jackson has counter-sued, claiming that his trusted advisor -- whom he called "Lawyer Lee" -- and Union Finance stole millions from him and destroyed records to cover up their misdeeds.
A trial is set for June 18 and comes as Jackson -- who pulled out of a deposition in an Indiana court case after suffering what a family lawyer described as a "reaction to lawsuits" -- has been dogged by controversy.
Last November, he stunned fans in Berlin by dangling his barefoot baby from a hotel window.
Then in February, he revealed in a documentary that he shared his bedroom with young boys and made his children wear masks in public, sparking outrage and calls for an investigation by California child welfare authorities.
And in March, a German promoter won a $5.3 million judgment from Jackson over canceled millennium concerts. Jackson's bizarre appearance on the witness stand during that case also caused a worldwide sensation.

Bureau Report