Jeffré Phillips and the estate of Michael Jackson have been locked in a legal dispute since Jackson’s death in 2009. The estate alleged that Phillips stole property from the late singer’s Carolwood estate right after Jackson passed away, during the chaos that ensued from his passing. At the time, Phillips was engaged to one of Jackson’s siblings, and was accused of taking electronics and other items, including some that had non-public recordings and handwritten lyrics.

The items in question included hard drives, CDs, DVDs, an iPod, photo albums, laptop computers, framed awards, notes, and a doll. Naturally, there was the potential for considerable value in these items, along with their sentimentality. Recordings and other music-based items that may have never previously seen the light of day could have possibly been sold for a lot of money to a collector, but it doesn’t appear any of the items made their way to anyone else.

Rather than continue to argue that he didn’t have these items or that they were given to him willingly, Phillips has returned the property to Jackson’s estate. They consider the matter closed, and aren’t pursuing the issue on either side. However, the exact details of the exchange, why he had the items, and whether there was any compensation given to Phillips for returning them wasn’t disclosed.

The confidentiality surrounding the return of the property is keeping everything under wraps, but a statement from the estate’s attorney did say that the issue was resolved without any admissions or findings of wrongdoing, and without the need for a trial. Both parties have told the court that there is a settlement and the matter is closed. The items were originally valued at $1 million, but neither party has commented on whether that value was adjusted or any money changed hands.

Originally, the estate was asking a judge to help them get the property back, and stated there was a concern that the items would be sold. As far as anyone has seen, there hasn’t been any sale of the items or an attempt to market them. Now, they’re back in the hands of Jackson’s estate.

While most people may not have the same value as Michael Jackson’s estate, it is important to understand the assets that make up your estate, so you can plan proactively. Contact The Estate Planning & Legacy Law Center to learn more!