Sep 2, 2004 5:28 pm US/Eastern
LOS ANGELES (AP) Michael Jackson allegedly paid $2 million to the son of an employee at his Neverland Ranch in 1990 to stave off an accusation of child molestation, according to a broadcast report.
The television news magazine did not disclose its source for information about the reported payment, which was the subject of a segment to be broadcast Friday night. In that segment, retired Santa Barbara County Sheriff Jim Thomas, now an NBC news analyst, said his office investigated Jackson in 1993 in connection with one boy's claim and came upon the second accusation.
The first boy reportedly was paid $15 million to $20 million by Jackson to avoid charges he thought would damage his career even if proved untrue.
