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Jackson’s mysterious adviser Tohme opens up

‘I built a fence around Michael to keep people out,’ says Dr. Tohme Tohme

 
David Zentz / AP
LOS ANGELES — Dr. Tohme Tohme vividly remembers the
first time he met with Michael Jackson to discuss the pop star’s finances. It’s
not the money talk that stays with him now, but his enchantment at entering
Jackson’s world of love.

“I saw how kind he was and what a wonderful human being,”
Tohme said in an interview. “I saw him with his children and I had never seen a
better father. ... I decided to do what I could to help him.”

Tohme, a financier with a murky past, had been contacted by
Jackson’s brother, Jermaine, who asked if Tohme could help to save Jackson’s
beloved Neverland ranch from foreclosure. Tohme said he traveled with Jermaine
to Las Vegas, where Jackson was living after years of wandering the world
following his acquittal on child molestation charges.

They bonded instantly. “For the last year and a half I was
the closest person to Michael Jackson,” Tohme said. He contacted Tom Barrack,
the chairman of Colony Capital and a close personal friend. “He was hesitant to
get involved, but I said, ‘Let’s go see Michael,’” Tohme recalled.

After the meeting he said Barrack, who was impressed with
Jackson’s “intelligence and focus,” bought the note for Neverland. But that was
just the beginning of a business relationship that culminated in the London
concerts that were to have begun next week.

Wearing a suit with no tie, Tohme, Jackson’s last business
manager and spokesperson, granted his first interview Friday to The Associated
Press in the office of a lawyer friend.

‘I’m a private man’
Tohmen, listed in public records as being in his late 50s, has been portrayed as something of a mystery man in the Jackson brain trust. “I hate the words ‘mystery man,’” he said. “I’m a private man. A lot of people like the media and I don’t. I respect the privacy of other people but lately nobody respects mine.” As he spoke, his cell phone rang constantly. He took only a few calls, one of them from Jesse Jackson. He has been stung by allegations that he was involved with the Nation of Islam, which he said was untrue.
“I have nothing against anybody,” he said, “But I don’t know anyone from the Nation of Islam. When I took over Michael Jackson’s affairs, I fired some people from the Nation of Islam.” Slideshow: Fans remember the ‘King of Pop’ It is known that he is of Lebanese descent. His double name — pronounced toh-MAY’ — is not uncommon in the Middle East. But he declined to go into detail about his own life and career other than to say he is a U.S. citizen who was raised in Los Angeles and, “I’m a self-made man. I’m in the world of finance.” “I don’t want to talk about me,” he said. “I’m a nobody. I’m not important. I want to talk about Michael Jackson.” At times he appeared on the verge of tears as he discussed Jackson’s death, saying, “It’s unbelievable ... I’m devastated ... God bless his soul.” He said that by talking about Jackson, he was fulfilling one of the star’s wishes. “He always said to me, ‘I want people to really know who I am after I’m gone.’”

‘I’m a stranger to this business’
He would only briefly discuss Jackson’s finances. During his time with the superstar, Tohme said, he was paid nothing but was able to negotiate lucrative business deals that would secure the future of Jackson’s children. He followed a long line of business managers and spokespeople who had come and gone from Jackson over the years. In the final year, he said he played a pivotal role in turning things around. His negotiations for Jackson included a Broadway show with the Nederlander organization, an animated TV show based on “Thriller,” a line of clothing including “moonwalk shoes,” and more. He said he was working with others to renegotiate the terms of Jackson’s main assets, his share of the Sony-ATV Music Publishing Catalog — which includes music by the Beatles — and the catalog of Mijac, the company that controls Michael Jackson’s own music. “I am not in the music business. I’m a stranger to this business,” Tohme said, noting that he had stiff competition from others who wanted to take over Jackson’s finances. “I built a fence around Michael to keep people out,” he said, acknowledging that he cut costs by firing many members of the Jackson staff, including security guards. And he twice fired the children’s nanny, Grace Rawaramba, on Jackson’s orders. “I was trying to do what we could to maximize his profits and minimize spending. I wanted to find a way to reel in all the loans he had. “We had an agreement,” Tohme continued. “I would never interfere with his creative decisions and he wouldn’t interfere with my business decisions.” Tohme said he abandoned everything he was doing in his own life to concentrate his time and effort on Jackson’s affairs. He points with pride to the crown jewel of his and the new Jackson team’s efforts: the contract with AEG for concerts at the 02 arena in London. He said Jackson was looking forward to the concerts because he wanted his children to see him perform.

Claims Jackson was in good health
Like others before him, Tohme was caught up in the excitement of Jackson’s world. He traveled with him to London, where they saw the play “Oliver” and were mobbed by fans. “I had never seen fans who loved anyone so much and he loved them just as much,” Tohme said. Tohme uses the title “Dr.” and apparently has a medical degree, though there is no record that he has practiced in the United States. He said he was convinced that Jackson was in perfect health the last time he saw him, two days before he died. He said the star kept himself and his children on a healthy diet, never ate red meat, didn’t drink and, as far as he knew, never took drugs. He said he is disappointed that Jackson won’t be buried at Neverland but hopes that may change: “He deserves to be buried in the wonderful world he created.” In Jackson’s final months, Tohme said they talked about his wish to create “a special place 10 times bigger than Graceland” where fans could come to see Jackson’s memorabilia and awards. Jackson even talked about creating a veritable city for children. “He wanted to be remembered as a great human being and he wanted to create as many happy places for the children of the world as he could,” said Tohme. The day Jackson died, as Tohme rushed to the hospital unsure if his friend was alive or dead, he said he remembered precious moments: Jackson bringing his children to Tohme’s house for Thanksgiving dinner; Jackson and his children singing “Happy Birthday” to Tohme on the phone; the last time he saw Jackson at Staples Center, rehearsing for his big comeback. And he remembered Jackson’s last words to him that day: “I love you.”

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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You rocked my world, you know you did
And everything I own I give
The rarest love who\'d think I\'d find
Someone like you to call mine




"Let us dream of tomorrow where we can truly love from the soul, and know love as the ultimate truth at the heart of all creation."
------Michael Jackson


Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. --Oscar Wilde

*

hope

Sorry Thome, but Im not touched by you're story. :evil:
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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Hazzely

"his friend" ?  

This man disgusts me so much! He should better talk about someone else and stop using Michael's name to make even more money of it.

Shame! Shame on you Tohme!
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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May your spirit keep the freedom of a butterfly in spring and your heart be filled always with the joys of simple things. May your essence claim the freshness of the new laid morning dew. All of this...and more...
Forever, http]
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:evil: Not even buying this bull :evil:
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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"Don't stop this child, He's the father of man
Don't cross his way, He's part of the plan
I am that child, but so are you
You've just forgotten, Just lost the clue.”

MJ "Magical Child"
Still Rocking my World…
   and leaving me Speechless!

“True goodbyes are the ones never said

*

2good2btrue

  • Hoaxer
  • View Profile
  • FORGIVENESS IS THE KEY TO YOUR HAPPINESS
  • 4210
Have you noticed a common link with all these fabricated stories????

It is always by   ASSOCIATED PRESS
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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Are they writing this like this is new?  I read this ages ago when Thome said this load of crap...  Thome just wants to make money out of Neverland.
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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curls

There was a discussion here last week about whether Thome was in fact protecting MJ and that maybe he's not one of the 'baddies' after all.

I've given up trying to work out who's who in all this - I'm waiting for MJ to tell me!

I'm aware that very little in this whole saga is as it first seems, so I'm not jumping to conclusions, one way or the other, with this Thome article.
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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Quote from: "curls"
There was a discussion here last week about whether Thome was in fact protecting MJ and that maybe he's not one of the 'baddies' after all.

I've given up trying to work out who's who in all this - I'm waiting for MJ to tell me!

I'm aware that very little in this whole saga is as it first seems, so I'm not jumping to conclusions, one way or the other, with this Thome article.

I'm with you curls. I'm not even trying anymore to figure out who's who! You never know where Michael is concerned!  :?
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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“If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with.” Michael Jackson

Michael, I love you the most.

naaa... he can say what he wants but i still think that there is something not right with that man... he is no firend of MJ - i think he just wanted his fame and his money.
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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"This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." – Sir Winston Churchill



*

paula-c

What to Thome with Jermaine on 25 June in the hospital .. where now, anyone know of it? :?:
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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*

mdc

Couple questions:

This photograph accompanies the article above:


Dr. Tohme Tohme, an advisor to Michael Jackson, stands in front of a painting of Jackson titled "The Book," by artist Brett-Livingstone Strong, in the law office of Dennis Hawk in Santa Monica, Calif., on Friday, July 3.

My 1st question is concerning the lawyer Dennis Hawk whose office "The Book" portrait supposedly hangs in. I wonder what we know about him. I've read he was responsible for the AEG contract, was supposed to be MJ's lawyer, and also Tomhe's lawyer? Anybody know what the story is with this lawyer?

Secondly, did anyone check the Santa Monica Municipal Airport flight schedule for June 25, 2009? And is that even possible? Just wondering because this lawyers office is apparently right smack dab on top of that airport. According to google maps there are literally like airplanes right behind the building. It would have been no problem catching an airplane there without being noticed I suppose. Link for the google address:  
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Any help would be appreciated. TIA
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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MJonmind

I've always felt that we don't see TT anymore because he is with Michael all this time. Don't judge a book by its cover. His tough looking face is good for an illusion of evil, and the ones that look like loving friends might not be. "Watch the ones with the biggest smiles, cause they're the backstabbers." MJ in Money.

mdc, that's very interesting about lawyer Dennis Hawk and his connections to "The Book" and airport. Worth looking at much deeper!
Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Guest
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