When the King of Pop died in 2009 his executors said his estate was worth a meagre $2,105 (£1.5k), arguing that his reputation had been left in tatters following child harassment allegations and other unflattering press coverage. However, the IRS came up with a different figure – an incredible $161 million (£113.7m).
Following a four-year legal dispute, the US Tax Court ruled that the correct figure for Michael Jackson’s posthumous fortune was $4.1 million (£2.9m) in 2009, which leaves the estate with unpaid taxes to settle. And even after he passed, Jackson's estate has been raking in millions. In fact, the Jackson estate has been the highest-earning celebrity estate each year since 2010, peaking in 2016 when it generated $825 million (£590m).
However, when he died it's estimated Jackson had debts of $500 million (£353m), which then passed onto the estate. Jackson left most of his estate to his mother Katherine and his three children, who have since paid off some of his debts.