Quincy Jones Is Owed $30 Million From Michael Jackson Estate

Photo Credit: Doug Pizac for AP

Quincy Jones claims he is the victim of elder abuse in a legal battle against Michael Jackson's estate and Sony Music.

A case involving missing royalties for Jones is currently taking place in Los Angeles. New documents revealed during the trial have revealed that the iconic producer believes Jackson's estate and Sony have taken advantage of his age, stating that he was over the age of 65 when he inquired about royalties he's entitled to from Jackson's three biggest albums: Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.

In a report from Billboard, Quincy claims that he is owed at least $30 million due to a breached contract for his work on the three albums, and says that songs such as "Billie Jean," "Thriller," and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" were remixed to block him from royalties and a producer's fee. The producer also alleges that his contracts gave him the first option to re-edit or alter the songs and that not having had that opportunity has hurt his reputation.

However, Sony's vp of royalty audits David Moro said that Jones was paid record royalties but not funds through a license agreement, adding that a "joint venture" agreement stopped Jones from receiving other monies.

"Mr. Jones is not a party to those agreements," Moro said during his testimony. "Mr. Jones has never been paid under those agreements."

Source: billboard.com