A former public relations agent for Michael Jackson has said that he believes the star was guilty of the child abuse allegations levelled at him.
Vincent Amen, who worked for Jackson during the early 2000s, appears in a new Channel 4 documentary which revisits his infamous 2005 trial.
The pop star was tried following claims from a boy named Gavin Arvizo, who alleged that Jackson gave him alcohol, showed him pornography, and committed acts of sexual molestation.
Jackson was ultimately exonerated of these charges and died four years later, in 2009, after overdosing on prescription anesthetic.
The events leading up to the court case and its subsequent fallout will be explored in Michael Jackson: The Trial.
As part of the documentary, Amen reveals how he came to believe that Jackson was indeed guilty of the charges… and alleges that a ‘cover-up’ took place to protect the star.
Speaking to The Telegraph about his participation in the documentary, Amen said: ‘I absolutely believe that Michael Jackson is guilty of child abuse and molestation.
He then added: ‘I believe there was a cover-up for so many years.’
Amen initially joined Jackson’s entourage in 2003 to help manage the fallout after the controversial Martin Bashir documentary, Living With Michael Jackson.
It was while preparing for the trial that Amen said he discovered a ‘naturist magazine’ among Jackson’s belongings.
According to Amen, this publication contained advertisements for videos of ‘naked kids,’ which he claimed had been marked for order.
‘Finding that, I realised, “Something is going on here”,’ he told The Telegraph.
‘Where there’s smoke, there is fire.’
Amen said that finding the magazine prompted him to believe that he’d been misled, and claims that he spoke to prosecutors about the case.
However, he was ultimately not called to testify.
Reflecting on his involvement with Jackson, Amen said: ‘I do not have any regrets – when I saw something that was concerning, which I believe would indicate child sex abuse, I did the right thing, and I came forward.’
The documentary will also explore Jackson’s relationship with his former friend and PR manager, Frank Cascio.
Cascio, along with siblings Aldo, Marie-Nicole, Dominic and Eddie, is currently pursuing his own allegations of sexual abuse against Jackson
The siblings, who previously defended Jackson against such allegations, later claimed that they had faced grooming, manipulation and molestation during their time in the star’s company.
They are currently attempting to overturn a prior financial agreement with Jackson’s estate, which prevents them from taking legal action.
On Cascio’s change of heart, Amen told The Telegraph: ‘From what I know now, sex abuse victims reveal information about their abuse, piece by piece, over the years.’
Jackson died four years after being found not guilty of all charges levelled against him – a death attributed to an overdose of the anaesthetic propofol.
In the years following his death, the television documentary Leaving Neverland was released, including fresh allegations against Jackson.
Dan Reed’s film explores the allegations of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who share accounts of abuse they claim to have experienced at Jackson’s hands as children.
Its sequel, Leaving Neverland 2, was released last year and focuses on the legal and personal aftermath of their allegations.
Michael Jackson: The Trial airs on Channel 4 on Wednesday ,February 4, at 9pm.
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