Court documents published by thesmokinggun.com in February 2005 revealed that Michael Jackson required his ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, to sign a broad confidentiality agreement as part of their divorce settlement, which included a multi-million-dollar payment to Rowe.
The agreement barred Rowe from publicly discussing Jackson's alleged drug use, sexual conduct, mental or physical health, or questions of paternity. She was also prohibited from contacting their two children directly, limited to sending birthday and Christmas cards or making travel arrangements on their behalf.
Rowe, a former nurse who had worked for Jackson's plastic surgeon, married him in 1996 and bore two children in 1997 and 1998. After the divorce she surrendered custody, and in October 2001 she asked a court to terminate her parental rights entirely, a request that was granted.
She reversed course after Jackson's November 2003 arrest on charges that he had molested a 13-year-old boy, filing for custody the following February. The confidentiality documents came to light through filings in that custody dispute. Rowe's attorney accused Jackson's successive legal teams of dragging the case through multiple courts and filing fresh appeals rather than allowing a resolution.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in February 2005, in its own words.