‘Innocent’ explanation over Michael Jackson’s picture with Epstein, bodyguard says

Published 1 hour ago
Source: metro.co.uk
Jeffrey Epstein poses with Michael Jackson in this image released by the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., U.S., on December 19, 2025 as part of a new trove of documents from its investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. Justice Department/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
Fresh scrutiny of newly-circulated Jeffrey Epstein-related photographs has pulled the late King of Pop Michael Jackson back into the conversation, decades after the photos were taken. One image shows the singer inside a Palm Beach property alongside the disgraced financier, while another captures him on a private jet with Bill Clinton, Diana Ross and others. According to Jackson’s former bodyguard Matt Fiddes, however, the context has been lost entirely, replaced by assumptions that ignore what he says was actually happening at the time. (Picture: REUTERS)
Fiddes says that the Palm Beach photograph dates back to late 2003 or early 2004, when Jackson was quietly exploring relocating to Florida. The singer had been spending Christmas with a friend while working hard in the studio, prompting him to consider buying nearby. Over a period of about three weeks, Fiddes says that his super-famous employer viewed dozens of properties, moving quickly between them with a small entourage and using false names to avoid attention during what was already a heavily reported house hunt. (Picture: Matt Fiddes/SWNS)
The former bodyguard says one of these houses belonged to Epstein, who asked for a photo with the star – as did many other owners at ‘numerous’ properties they visited during the search. He added that Jackson had no idea who Epstein was and that the pair were only being linked now ‘as a distraction’. Fiddes said: ‘He was spending Christmas with a friend in Florida. He was recording an album with Barry Gibb on a daily basis and wanted to move to Palm Beach. He had 30 viewings of properties. We blasted through them in a couple of weeks. He didn’t end up buying them due to the false allegations made against him.’ (Picture: SWNS)
He added: ‘Wherever he would go people would want to take pictures of him. That happened numerous times at these properties and this would have been one of them,’ he said. Jackson, he claims, would not have known who Epstein was even if introduced, nor would Epstein have known it was Jackson coming to view the house due to the singer using aliases such as ‘Mr. Sterling’. (Picture: SWNS)
According to Fiddes, there was nothing particularly remarkable about the specific viewed property that was later linked to Epstein. It was simply one of many mansions being shown by an estate agent over a short burst of viewings. At the time, Epstein was selling the house and had not yet gained any kind of wider notoriety. Fiddes insists that no one in Jackson’s circle knew who he was, adding that the singer wouldn’t have been told the owner’s identity before arriving at the viewing. (Picture: SWNS)
Michael Jackson in New York City, New York (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
‘Michael would only really take financial advice from Mohamed Al Fayed over in London,’ Fiddes said. ‘Epstein would not have known it was Michael coming to the house. He went under false names and it would have been booked under Mr. Sterling. His search was heavily publicised at the time.’ In his view, the resurfaced image has been stripped of all practical context and unfairly folded into a much later scandal. (Picture: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
‘I’ve had enough of it,’ he said. ‘It’s got ridiculous. They are picking the most famous dead man to distract from the real issue. He cannot speak back. But I was there and I know what was going on. I knew what the mission was. This is just a distraction to get away from the real subject of the redacted documents.’ (Picture: Getty)
USA - DECEMBER 20: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY - MANDATORY CREDIT - ??THE US JUSTICE DEPARTMENT / HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS----) Michael Jackson and Bill Clinton are seen in one of the images released by the US Department of State. The US Justice Department released thousands of records Friday related to the sex trafficking investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. The release came on the last day of the 30 days allowed by the Epstein Files Transparency Act -- legislation forcing the Justice Department action to release all documents related to the probe. (Photo by The US Justice Department / Handout /Anadolu via Getty Images)
Attention has also fallen on a separate image showing Jackson with Clinton and Ross, which Fiddes says was taken during a Democrat-organised charity benefit. ‘Every star imaginable was there. It had nothing to do with Epstein. It was taken on a private jet on the way back to Florida,’ he said. According to Fiddes, such settings, meetings and photos were routine for Jackson, who frequently travelled with large groups of celebrities. (Picture: The US Justice Department/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
He added: ‘They are clearly going after Clinton and he was a good friend of Michael. But it was nothing that wasn’t normal.’ Fiddes continued: ‘Michael would often be on a private jet with a heap of celebrities. None of us even knew who Epstein was. Of all the pictures to release, why these two? Michael is just being used as a scapegoat.’ Fiddes says he managed Jackson’s calls directly and never encountered Epstein’s name. ‘I used to pass the phone to Michael as we had a call list of who he would speak to and who he wouldn’t. Epstein was never on any list,’ he said. (Picture: Matt Fiddes/SWNS)
Beyond the photographs, Fiddes strongly rejects long-standing allegations against Jackson, saying his years of close contact never raised concern. ‘Michael was not into children. I spent thousands of hours with Michael as did my friends and family and this allegations are nonsense,’ he said. He described strict security measures, including CCTV at hotel suites and zero tolerance for children entering private spaces. ‘As a father I would have been the first person to alert the police if I thought Michael was up to no good,’ he said, adding that Jackson’s rooms were only ever closed off when adult girlfriends were present. ‘Michael isn’t here to defend himself. I have six kids. If I thought anything was going on I would have been the first to dob him in. But there was nothing – it is all lies and absolute nonsense.’ (Picture: Matt Fiddes/SWNS)
Fiddes, now 45 and living near Tiverton in Devon, first met Jackson after his early success running martial arts schools attracted the attention of Uri Geller. After a year of friendship, he joined Jackson’s security team and remained there for over a decade. He says his own children stayed in adjoining hotel rooms without incident during that time. He also claims Jackson later regretted settling a civil case in 1993, saying the decision was driven by tour pressures and advice from his insurer and lawyer. ‘Michael paid off the civil case to get on tour again as too many jobs were at stake,’ he said, adding that Jackson had wanted to fight the criminal allegations in court. (Picture: Matt Fiddes/SWNS)
Fiddes ended by criticising the lack of protection for the reputations of the deceased. He said that Jackson believed that his friends such as Donald Trump would have defended him if he were alive. ‘Laws need to be in place to stop people saying whatever they want about a dead person,’ he said. ‘It’s very wrong how they can make up such nonsense to ruin his legacy.’ (Picture: Matt Fiddes/SWNS)

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