JACKSON’S SECRET SHOWS FOR SHEIKHS
MICHAEL JACKSON was so broke in the years before his death he performed secret shows for Arab sheikhs for $2.5 million (£1.66 million) a time.
The Thriller legend was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy after handouts from his pal Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa - the son of the king of Bahrain - dried up in 2006.
And he was so desperate to make ends meet, the singer staged a series of private shows for mega-rich Arabs and Russian businessmen in London, according to a new report.
Acclaimed investigative journalist Gerald Posner writes on DailyBeast.com, "He was virtually insolvent. Since his 2005 acquittal on sexual abuse charges, he initially supported himself at the largesse of Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, son of Bahrain’s king.
"When that money pipeline was cut off, The Daily Beast learned that Jackson resorted to doing one-night gigs for private parties for Arab sheikhs and Russians in London. These gigs, I am told, commanded up to $2.5 million for an hour performance or sometimes were bartered in exchange for works of art."
Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)
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