Michael Jackson Groomed Children For Sexual Abuse In World's Most Sophisticated Child Sex Abuse Operation, Friend Claims

Pop singer Michael Jackson groomed children for sexually abuse, paying for their plane tickets and food during visits to his Neverland Ranch in California, in a "well-orchestrated trap" to attract new victims, a lawyer representing a former close friend of the Jackson family told the New York Daily News Tuesday. Wade Robson, a choreographer who once defended Jackson in his 2005 child molestation trial, claims Jackson oversaw the most sophisticated child sex abuse operation "the world has known" and that he was one of many victims in recent court filings.

"Make no mistake, Neverland Ranch was nothing but a well-orchestrated trap," Robson's lawyer Vince Finaldi told the Daily News. "It was custom-built to attract kids so he could groom them and decide which to sexually abuse."

Robson, 33, said Jackson hired people to help him locate and enable his sexual abuse of children. Robson claims Jackson's estate began grooming him for sexual abuse when he was five years old after he won a dance competition in Australia run by Jackson's MJJ Ventures.

Robson had said in the past he was not a victim of sexual abuse, but later said therapy helped him come to terms with his sexual relationship with Jackson. Robson said he was sexually abused by Jackson for eight years until he hit puberty and Jackson moved on to another victim.

Robson's lawsuit against Jackson's estate was thrown out in 2013 after a judge ruled he'd waited too long to sue. He is suing Jackson's companies, MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, for helping to orchestrate the alleged sex ring.

“Although MJJ Productions on its face was a multimedia company dedicated to creating and distributing Michael Jackson’s music and entertainment, it actually served a dual purpose, and that was locating, producing and enabling his sexual abuse of kids," Finaldi said.

Jackson's estate has denied the charges.

“Mr. Robson testified under oath in a courtroom that Michael never did anything improper with him,” Howard Weitzman, attorney for Jackson's estate has said, according to the Associated Press. “The court’s dismissal of Wade Robson’s claim against the Estate of Michael Jackson confirms that his lawsuit was inappropriately filed."

A California jury found Jackson not guilty of child molestation, conspiracy and alcohol charges in 2005. He faces nearly 20 years before the verdict.

His lead defense attorney, Thomas Mesereau Jr., told reporters at the time that "justice was done." "The man's innocent. He always was," Mesereau said.