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Jackson Nanny to "Reveal All"
Alastair Grant / AP Photo
Grace Rwaramba, the de facto mother to Jackson's children, was fired last year for fighting with him about his drug use, Gerald Posner reports. She will detail his pill habits to authorities today.
The Daily Beast has learned that Grace Rwaramba, the trusted nanny to Michael Jackson’s children who began working for the superstar in 1991, will be giving a deposition to Los Angeles investigators today in their probe into Jackson’s death. Few people have a better overview of Jackson’s pill habits across the past two decades, including enabling doctors. According to a source familiar with what she intends to tell authorities, she is ready to “reveal all” she knows about his myriad physicians. That should make some of them very nervous.
Few people have a better overview of Jackson’s pill habits across the past two decades, including enabling doctors.
Not only does Rwaramba know where the bones are buried when it comes to doctors who enabled Jackson’s prescription-pill addiction, but The Daily Beast has also learned that Michael Amir, a top aide to Jackson known to many by his Nation of Islam shorthand, Brother Michael, fired Rwaramba in 2008 precisely because she was fighting with the pop star over the extent of his drug use and because she had reached out to other friends to help with an intervention.
Rwaramba has long been the subject of false tabloid rumors ranging from The National Enquirer’s 2007 report that she had secretly wed Jackson in a Las Vegas ceremony to British tabloid reports that she was the mother of Prince Michael II. She always endured the stories silently, never talking to the press or even issuing denials. And even when Jackson let her go over her drug intervention, she was loyal and maintained her silence.
But now she must endure another round of slanderous comments, passed around to reporters by some of the Nation of Islam workers who had surrounded Jackson during the past several years. One rumor: Rwaramba has a secret offshore bank account worth $100 million and that she used her trusted position with Jackson to enrich herself. Sources involved with the executors unraveling Jackson’s complicated estate and finances say the hidden-wealth rumors about Rwaramba appear utterly baseless and that all they can find is that Jackson sometimes passed money to his mother Katherine, through Rwaramba.
Rwaramba has told friends she has “absolutely nothing to hide.” Critically, the Jackson family believes her. They have embraced her once again and she is spending all her time with the children at the family’s request.
Instead, forensic accountants being brought in by the executors appear to be initially far more interested in a few top aides of the past couple of years, including some members of the Nation of Islam, about potentially millions missing from the Jackson accounts, and reports of shakedowns done by Jackson aides when outside businessmen approached the pop star with deals. Multiple efforts to reach Michael Amir or Grace Rwaramba were unsuccessful.
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Gerald Posner is the award-winning author of 10 investigative nonfiction bestsellers, ranging from political assassinations, to Nazi war criminals, to 9/11, to terrorism (www.posner.com). Posner lives in Miami Beach with his wife, the author Trisha Posner.
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Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
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Jacob Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Daily Beast. Previously, he was a features writer at WWD and W Magazine. He has also written for New York magazine, Paper, and The Huffington Post.
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Gerald Posner is The Daily Beast's Chief Investigative Reporter. He's the award-winning author of 10 investigative nonfiction bestsellers, ranging from political assassinations, to Nazi war criminals, to 9/11, to terrorism. His latest book, Miami Babylon: Crime, Wealth and Power—A Dispatch from the Beach, was published in October. He lives in Miami Beach with his wife, the author Trisha Posner.
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Gerald Posner is The Daily Beast's Chief Investigative Reporter. He's the award-winning author of 10 investigative nonfiction bestsellers, ranging from political assassinations, to Nazi war criminals, to 9/11, to terrorism. His latest book, Miami Babylon: Crime, Wealth and Power—A Dispatch from the Beach, was published in October. He lives in Miami Beach with his wife, the author Trisha Posner.
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Gerald Posner is The Daily Beast's Chief Investigative Reporter. He's the award-winning author of 10 investigative nonfiction bestsellers, ranging from political assassinations, to Nazi war criminals, to 9/11, to terrorism. His latest book, Miami Babylon: Crime, Wealth and Power—A Dispatch from the Beach, was published in October. He lives in Miami Beach with his wife, the author Trisha Posner.
After Posner's fictional accounts of everyone from Mlk to the 911 hoax being labeled as nonfiction how can you believe anything he says. He's a lackey for the highest bidder. Who's writing the check for this one.
Gerald Posner is one of the most respected investigative journalists out there today. Don't know what you've been smoking but your first sentence indicates it's not good.
please , how do i post a comment here
Hey cheerleader your panties are showing. Scrolling on down I see you jump in every time anyone has something real to say about this hack. Typical sheeple. Have you ever bothered to check the "facts" this "respected investigative journalist" prints. No, that would take time away from your Rush Limbaugh worship.
Again, your non-sequitors indicate you need to put the pipe down. I've been following Posner for years now and he is, in fact, a highly respected journalist. Read a few of his books then come back and whine.
Now I see, this is Posner I'm talking to. Come on Posner doesn't the agency provide cover for you anymore. Guess that cover up contract ran out. Well at least you got your beach house out of the deal. Too bad you're on here defending your weak reputation instead of enjoying the view. See, there is a price to pay for repeating government handouts as fact. Read your books? No thanks. I've got the govt reports you copy from.
Now paranoia is added to total idiocy. Sad, the influence drugs have on the brain. Notsteve, you are really embarrassing yourself here. You seem totally obsessed with Posner. Call your Momma and have her take you to rehab; it will do a body good.
That is the truth, and I told him. Also told him not to ever respond to my email again and he did. Tried to block me, but I already told this spastic, horrid looking person not to email me again. He had all types of claimed facts in his MOTOWN that were FALSE. Things I personally new. Even my associate Martha Reeve came to his reading and put him on BLAST as the young folks say. Also, Maxine, the ettiquette coach, told him what was NOT TRUE also...she had the book outline and in had. It was funny. This guy is not credible. Someone sent this story to me, and I wish they hadn't. I comment because MJ was a kind soul I had the pleasure of knowing; he would be horrified that all of this mess is going on...people trying to profit off of him in death and at the expense of his legacy and the hearts of his children. People should be ashamed. Let the man rest in peace.
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I don't know, he may have gotten a few wrong, but he's been dead-on in a number of cases.
Maybe the Nanny was a saint and tried to help Michael.
Maybe she used her position to enrich herself.
Maybe these facts will be revealed.
My question is, where was Michael's family during this apparently disasterous intake of thousands of pills?
Where were his sisters and brothers?
Where were his parents?
Nobody knew he was taking thousands of pills?
Nobody suggested an intervention of some kind?
Did anybody in the family TRY to help him?
Nobody sent out the alarm about his apparent addiction?
Or was there too much money involved for everone to reach out to him?
Michael Jackson, just a cash cow?
Where was the family?
You are talking about a 50 year old man with bodyguards. Not some child. Clearly one did not just drop in on MJ.
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What is wrong with you! I am sorry to be so harsh but I am sick of people writing nasty things about Michael Jackson without knowing him personally. All the comments you and others make are based on TABLOID reports. My God, the man just died, don't you have nicer things to say about him and other people?? I was at the memorial by the way, and NO ONE PUSHED Paris into saying that. You are a mean person! Go do some volunteer work or something and maybe, just maybe, you will develop a kinder heart.
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Lisabeth60, you poor blind soul:
No one is being mean here, just telling the truth. If the truth hurts you, go back to lalaland--I mean Neverland.
Lisabeth60
You are 100% correct. Why can't they leave Michael Alone, Put his poor body to rest, enough is enough
YOU knew him?
Please, facts are important. The orgy of emotional showbiz since his death and the promotions afterward -- that corporations are making and will make even more money off of than if he were still alive and performing -- is NOT important.
You know, I agree with you--nevermind people extolling MJ's virtues and sincere love for his kids! The idea that one can purchase children, ready-made with blond hair and blue eyes (like their white mom and dad) and then play Peter Pan with them for the rest of your life in your theme park/home (while under a drug haze) is hardly a recipe for "good father." Just as no one could simply "drop in" on him to see what he was up to and prevent him from suicide, in our society no one can stop a person who has enough money and yes-men and -women around him from thinking "I hated how I was raised so to spite my parents, I'm going to buy a couple of white kids and raise them the way I think they should have raised me." The classic reason adolescent girls have for getting knocked up is "to have someone to love forever." Sounds like Michael Jackson to me.
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What a sick take on the situation. Clearly you have issues.
Fact: at Neverland he had a special alarm system installed in the hallway leading up to his bedroom. It the alarm was inside the bedroom. For some reason he wanted to know when someone was approaching. This came out during his pederasty trial.
Fact.
Exactly. How many families would allow a drug-addled member to purchase three children even if he could provide a roof, food, and full-time nanny? A normal family would think the idea preposterous and take whatever measures necessary to block it for the sake of the children. Unfortunately, Michael Jackson surrounded himself only with sycophants and even his family were afraid to cut themselves off from the money spigot.
There are millions of alcoholics/addicts in this country raising children. Addiction is a disease. The 'horrific' aftereffects of that disease (pills AND alcohol addiction) for Betty Ford included falling, stumbling, talking ragtime and nodding off at the table.
I didn't idolize Michael Jackson and I didn't idolize Betty Ford.....but the former I can have compassion and admiration for, and the same with the latter. Lucky for Mrs Ford she got out alive.....it could easily have ended up differently, it took a long time for her family to stage an intervention.
As far as claims that Paris was "pushed into" her statement.....I feel sorry for people as meanspirited and cynical as you.
Just because there are millions of addicts raising children doesn't make it good for those children. God knows what horrors Jackson's kids witnessed in that house with his out of control drug use. I wish the best for them.
You don't know that she wasn't. You know nothing except your own emotions.
I totally agreed, even Elvis Presley, The Beatles, most all musicians of the past and some in the present raised kids and they are/were addicts ... there kids turn out great and many of them are still idolized. We are all human and none of us are without faults, so for those who are perched up on some high horse on a crescent moon, please get off that soapbox and take a look in the mirror at your life. I see speckles of spots all over it that needs to be shine away but first be judged the way that you all are judging Mr. Jackson.
I am sure there is something all of our kids hated about us or will hate ... if not then something is amisted.
toodogs,
I agree with you On what u said about Paris. I believe it also
She fell into the arms of kind "auntie" Janet who is a star in her own right and has earned her own wealth.
This is very revealing information and well written. Grace Rwaramba is definitely the smoking gun in this ever evolving story if she is completely accurate and truthful talking to authorities about what she knew and saw regarding Jackson's drug usage. The MSM and tabloids will indeed vet her out through all their usual methods. Getting to her for an exclusive interview after talking to authorities would be quite the coup; however she might never want to talk to the public due to her loyalty to Michael Jackson, her love of his children and the Jackson family. Time will tell. It would be fantastic if Gerald Posner could be the one to interview her!
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I've read several accounts that Grace Rwaramba has ties to the Nation of Islam and that she is the one who brought them into Jackson's life.
If it wasn't her, how to they get involved?
His brother Jermaine is the one who has ties. Not Grace. Grace worked for Deepra Chopek before working for Michaerl Jackson. So much false information out in tabloid land.
I'm very glad she will be under oath, under penalty of perjury. Her friend tried to peddle a LIE that she was too broke to afford a plane ticket. An internet poster did a better job than the lazy media, pointing out that she married a Ugandan oil executive in December, 08, thus, she wasn't broke or poor. I wish LAPD had been armed with this info her friends tried to pull earlier, and she had been under oath earlier.
Drug addicts get rid of those who do not cover,for them,help them get drugs,or try to help them.No one can stop them.
Jermaine converted to Islam years ago, and reportedly he's the one who brought them in to MJ's life to replace the inexperienced security staff that existed back then.
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/MichaelJackson/story?id=8067482&page=1< br />
This guys sounds credible.
Check out another site which posted her high school yearbook writings, in which she is clearly a Michael Jackson groupie wannabe, mentioning him a total of 4 times. Over and over, it was reported that she wanted to marry him, and I believe ti.
Thank you very much for your article. It is much appreciated. It is very sad what happened to Michael Jackson. I wondered if the Brothers of Islam were involved and I just hope the doctors and people around him who enabled him are held accountable. Yes he also had a choice as to whether he took drugs or not, but if you are not an addict, you really can't understand what it is like.
Something is really wrong in our world because many write nasty things on the internet or to the press about Michael Jackson based on rumours. Much of what you read about the Jacksons is based on on tabloid stories, not the truth. I can't believe the nasty things people write. They must not be very happy people.
Exactly right. With all their cheap shots and snide, meanspirited remarks that never end.....it's as if THEY are addicts as well.....addicted to putting ugly judgments and energy out into the universe. Putting the worst possible spin on the tiniest bits of rumor and innuendo. Pathetic.
Allegra ... I so agree with you.
Worshipping a guy who was clearly ill is something that people without lives do.
Get one.
Just another cheap shot from someone who is reading and commenting upon the same article everyone else is. Throwing out words like "worship" and "idolize" at anyone who isn't willing to automatically put the worst possible spin on a situation is childish, and telling others to 'get a life' is just one more example of the kinds of personal insults people like you revel in.
Allegra: "People like me"? Um, do you know me? Are you a time/space traveling psychic? You are simultaneously committing the exact thing you're preaching against.
Learn how to think. Learn the process of reasoning. Reading, writing and typing does not an educated mind make.
Everyone around the addict,knows.what is happening.Some abuse the situation,some take advantage of the situation,some benefit from the situation,some try and have to ignore it,or they will be banned by the addict.The addict becomes a total manipulator,and feeds also on their submissiness,and acceptance.And those who really care,usually have to go away,unless the addict want the help.What would have been the lives of these children, Michael Jackson was a physically and mentally ill human being.?Its trully a strange situation.And he was not he father.
That Michael Jackson had an illness is clear. In addition to his addiction, he was not a well man, having to contend with multiple auto-immune related diseases, probably all triggered from his childhood abuse. I just saw a fabulous show by Carrie Fischer called Wishful Drinking in which she details her life as an addict and her crazy family, and her own bouts with mental illness. She revealed all this with incredible humor. I hope we can learn to reach out to all the Michael Jacksons on the world and understand the complex emotional conditions that lead to opiate addiction. He's gone, so let's help others and try to understand not judge.
Totally agreed, people spend too much time being hateful instead of understanding and forgiving then wonder why the world is unforgiving of their own misdeeds. talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Gerald Posner is a headline grabbing hack.
and your reason for clicking on this story is? you also logged in, wrote in a password, and clicked on the box for comments, and then typed up a comment. why do all of that if you think posner is a hack? just ignore the story - otherwise your clicks add to the click revenue that DB uses for advertiser rates.
as for me, i think the story is interesting and like the fact someone is on the story, and not just idol-gazing.
And you post on the comment section of every one of his articles. If you don't like his writings, don 't come here. Or at least attempt to add to the conversation instead of posting insipid nonsense.
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/MichaelJackson/story?id=8067482&page=1< br />
Mr. Rowe sounds credible to me. It almost seems like the Mafia was out to take over Michael's career. That's what happens when you owe people millions of dollars.
Everybody has a different spin on this, but it appears that these things are true:
1) he was a pill addict
2) He owed a lot of money
3) People wanted their money (AEG, promoters, lenders) and they were probably pushing him to do these shows
or
4) he wanted to do the shows to get his finances in order.
5) Is this payback for stealing the Beatles catalog?
Chicago48:
Love no.5: exactly!
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Learn to spell and write or you too seem like you're on something.
And yes, you're right. They were both junkies. Very sad. Didn't know how to handle the pressure.
In fact, John Lennon was not a junkie shortly before his death in poor health. Quite the opposite, as he had turned himself around and was recording and performing again. He was not a couch potato, as much as a house-husband, getting away from the music business for awhile, which was part of his getting his life back together--which he did at the time he was killed.
I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF ALL THIS STUFF ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSON. HE WAS A GOOD MAN. ALSO A GREAT FATHER.
HIS FATHER JOE MIXED MICHAEL UP
MAY GOD REST HIS SOUL AND HE BE AT PEACE SOON
If he would listen to her he would be alive.This women atemted to save his life.
Why can't people leave Michael Jackson In Peace. For Gods sake he was a human not some kind of animal.
He had a good heart, and cared about people.
When are they going to put Michael at peace, Bury him Let his soul be with God.
Enough is enough leave Michael alone.
Michael may you always rest in peace.
May God Bless And Keep You Safe.
You are with us always.
Thinking of you Michael
SMA
Nanny? She looks like a greedy beast, she has no respect for dead either, all out to make some fast money.
What could be more cruel than to fire your children's life-long nanny. I don't believe "he was the greatest dad" baloney for a second.
It doesn't matter what you believe, it matters that the evidence shows he was a wonderful father to his children; once more for those who don't seem to understand even the basics of addiction.....the entire family pays a price when a member has this disease. It is a disease whose hallmarks are denial and isolation. MJ stayed away from people who confronted him about it, to the point of firing Grace, someone he loved and respected and relied upon. That demonstrates the insanity of the disease, the POWER of addiction.
No, it is not a good thing to be an addict. Having said that, MJ had the resources to provide for his children an emotionally available adult who was there consistently for them up until the last months. Having that can make all the difference in how negatively impacted a child is in that situation and by all accounts these are extremely bright, centered, well adjusted children.
What "evidence" shows he was a wonderful father?
What "accounts" show they are well adjusted children? Maybe they have survived their unorthodox upbringing and indeed well adjusted. I sincerely hope they are, but only time will tell.
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I believe Grace is going to be the truthteller of MJ and his kids' total life situation. She has been one of the few constants in MJ's life--until she was fired, anyway. More than I believe MJ was a 'good father', I believe Grace was a 'great nanny (mother)' to those kids. Was she enamored with MJ?? WHO around him wasn't is the better question. Celebs are ALWAYS surrounded by admirerers, hangers-on--that's exactly why they get into trouble--no one around them to be their REAL FRIEND and tell them the truth, or tell them NO.
Grace was there to witness everything. And, as the DEA and cops have corroborating evidence of drug usage, Grace will not be able to lie for/about MJ--even if that would be her inclination. She may have been starstruck with MJ, but I'm sure that wore off after being around his drug usage constantly. I'm very sure that her total loyalties are to the kids, and not to MJ anymore. And, as is always the case, MJ was being USED by all those he surrounded himself with--bodyguards, advisors, doctors. But, he also used them in return--as noted by several close friends, and even his family--when you told him things he didn't want to hear--you were GONE.
Rather than throwing words around and making "factual" statements about the kind of man Michael Jackson was, I think it's important to remember that context of the situation. A man has died, and finally someone might be able to provide insight into what happened. There is no doubt that Jackson was a troubled man, but I believe he did the best he could. Growing up in the spotlight probably didn't provide for the easiest childhood and we shouldn't be so quick to cast the finger of judgement.
He evolved into a nutcase. Talented yes, maybe, but nutty, yes.
I would like to see how many people could deal with the amount of stress that he had indured over the years. He had nobody he could trust or confide in ,because everyone used him for their own advantage.I feel he led a very lonely life, so he turned to drugs to make him not feel the pain of being all alone.I think the end would of came alot sooner if it had,nt been for his children. The media said he was doing these concerts mainly to show the children why they lived the way they did.He wanted to show them their dad was something special.It,s a shame he never got to fufill that wish.The media should and doctors should be patting themselves on the back for taking away one of the greatest entertainer,s we have ever wittensed. And 3 beautiful children are now without their dad. Hope their happy now!
Thank you.
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