Michael Jackson sues ex-accountants

Michael Jackson is suing his former accountants, claiming they made unauthorized deals that cost the pop singer millions.

The lawsuit —filed Friday by Jackson and his production company in a Los Angeles court against the firm Bernstein, Fox, Whitman, Goldman and Sloan —alleges negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.

Jackson is seeking unspecified damages and an audit of payments he made to the company.

The suit claims the firm entered into contracts without Jackson's approval, and failed to keep him up to date on his financial affairs.

It also claims Jackson's accountants withdrew $2.5 million US from his bank accounts each year, but did not properly pay his bills.

Jackson hired the firm in 2003 for bookkeeping, opening bank accounts, and filing personal, corporate and real estate taxes.

In April, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times reported Jackson had racked up debts totalling $280 million, and to help make good was offering Sony the rights to parts of his lucrative music copyrights catalogue, which includes Beatles songs.

Jackson was acquitted last year on child molestation charges.