EXCLUSIVE: Michael Jackson's Former PR Agent 'Absolutely Believes Singer Molested Children' — And Claims There Was a 'Cover-Up'
Michael Jackson's former PR agent thinks the singer is guilty.
Feb. 6 2026, Published 7:20 p.m. ET
Michael Jackson is being judged guilty in the court of public opinion by one of his former inner circles, with his longtime publicist declaring he now believes the pop star sexually abused children and helped conceal it for years.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the accusation comes from Vincent Amen, a former public relations adviser to Jackson during the late singer's 2005 criminal trial, which features in a new four-part Channel 4 documentary examining what was once dubbed the "trial of the century."
The late Jackson is facing new allegations from a former publicist.
Amen, who worked closely with Jackson's confidante Frank Cascio during the period, said his understanding of the allegations against Jackson, killed aged 50 in 2009 by a massive tranquilizer overdose, shifted dramatically after what he describes as years of denial and suppression within the singer's entourage.
"I absolutely believe that Michael Jackson is guilty of child abuse and molestation," Amen said. "I believe there was a cover-up for so many years."
Speaking as a contributor to Michael Jackson: The Trial, Amen described how he went from defender to whistleblower while working inside Jackson's operation.
'I Have Slept in a Bed With Many Children'
Vincent Amen said he believed Jackson abused children.
Jackson's second criminal case, which unfolded in Santa Barbara in 2005, centered on allegations by Gavin Arvizo, then 13, who accused the singer of molestation at Neverland Ranch in California.
Jackson was 46 at the time and faced multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit child abduction and false imprisonment. After a four-month trial, he was acquitted on all charges.
The verdict followed an earlier 1993 settlement involving Jordan Chandler, then 13, whose family received a reported $20million to $30million, without any admission of guilt by Jackson.
Amen was 22 when he joined Jackson's team in 2003, following the broadcast of Martin Bashir's Living with Michael Jackson.
In the film, Jackson spoke openly about sharing his bed with children, telling Bashir: "I have slept in a bed with many children… the most loving thing to do is to share your bed with someone."
The comments triggered global outrage and, according to Amen, a frantic internal effort to control damage.
'Where There's Smoke, There's Fire'
Jackson was acquitted after a four-month court trial.
Amen added the moment his faith in Jackson collapsed came after discovering a naturist magazine linked to Jackson and Cascio.
It featured adverts for videos for sale, several of which featured "naked kids" that had been circled "to be ordered."
"Finding that, I realized, 'Something is going on here,'" he said. "Where there's smoke, there is fire." Amen says he later believed plans to move the Arvizo family abroad were intended to limit press exposure.
"That's what I believed," he added. "It was never discussed to keep this family from the press, but it was a part of the process."
He said he was involved in arranging passports and visas for a proposed Brazil trip that was ultimately canceled.
Later Accusers, Industry Reaction and Call for Reckoning
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Dan Reed's 2019 film 'Leaving Neverland,' also accuses Jackson of abuse.
Now removed from the orbit that once defined his career, Amen says his views hardened after other alleged Jackson victims came forward. He points to James Safechuck and Wade Robson, who detailed abuse claims in Dan Reed's 2019 film Leaving Neverland.
Amen said: "S-- abuse victims reveal information about their abuse, piece by piece, over the years."
The publicist also referenced recent legal filings by the Cascio siblings, who allege decades of grooming and abuse by Jackson and are seeking to void a 2020 settlement with the Jackson estate.
"When one s-- abuse victim comes forward, others tend to," Amen said. "Leaving Neverland changed the minds of the Cascios."
A source with intimate knowledge of Jackson's world told us: "What makes Amen's account powerful is that it comes from someone who once helped protect Jackson. His reversal carries weight because it is rooted in what he says he witnessed firsthand."
Another music industry figure added: "This reframes Michael Jackson's acquittal in court. It does not change the verdict, but it changes how history judges the people who stood by him."
Amen insists he has no regrets about how he handled his Jackson findings. "When I saw something that was concerning, which I believe would indicate child s-- abuse, I did the right thing and I came forward," he said.
But he warned: "There needs to be a day of reckoning."
