Following the death of Michael Jackson, an album of the pop star's unreleased songs made headlines around the world when his family and fans claimed that some of the songs on the album were fakes. Packed with explosive new evidence, Faking Michael uncovers the inside story of the music industry scandal you were never meant to hear about.

DISCLAIMER: Faking Michael is an investigative true crime podcast series co-produced by Damien Shields and Dan Villalobos, and published by Oath! Media. Research, writing and narration by Damien Shields. Original score, sound design and mixing by Dan Villalobos. Additional research by James Alay and Jamon Bull, and the teams at The MJCast and A Truth Untold. Artwork by Stephen Ward with creative direction from Samar Habib. Faking Michael is an independent piece of investigative reporting. All source material is used in a limited and transformative way, for the purpose of commentary, criticism, demonstration and education in accordance with Fair Use guidelines. Some of that material has been edited for clarity and time. If you’d like to contact the Oath! Media team, support our cause, or register your interest in the upcoming book edition of Faking Michael, please visit fakingmichael.com.

Controversy consumes the release of Sony’s first posthumous Michael Jackson album when the pop star’s family accuse the record company of including “fake” songs, with vocals sung by an impostor. The songs in question, known as the Cascio tracks, were provided by Jackson’s friend Eddie Cascio and his collaborative partner James Porte.

DISCLAIMER: Faking Michael is an investigative true crime podcast series co-produced by Damien Shields and Dan Villalobos, and published by Oath! Media. Research, writing and narration by Damien Shields. Original score, sound design and mixing by Dan Villalobos. Additional research by James Alay and Jamon Bull, and the teams at The MJCast and A Truth Untold. Artwork by Stephen Ward with creative direction from Samar Habib. Faking Michael is an independent piece of investigative reporting. All source material is used in a limited and transformative way, for the purpose of commentary, criticism, demonstration and education in accordance with Fair Use guidelines. Some of that material has been edited for clarity and time. If you’d like to contact the Oath! Media team, support our cause, or register your interest in the upcoming book edition of Faking Michael, please visit fakingmichael.com.

The plot thickens when Sony streams one of the Cascio tracks online. Upon hearing the vocals, thousands of Michael's fans reject them as fake, joining the Jackson family in demanding that the Cascio tracks be removed from the album. But will their concerns be taken seriously?

DISCLAIMER: Faking Michael is an investigative true crime podcast series co-produced by Damien Shields and Dan Villalobos, and published by Oath! Media. Research, writing and narration by Damien Shields. Original score, sound design and mixing by Dan Villalobos. Additional research by James Alay and Jamon Bull, and the teams at The MJCast and A Truth Untold. Artwork by Stephen Ward with creative direction from Samar Habib. Faking Michael is an independent piece of investigative reporting. All source material is used in a limited and transformative way, for the purpose of commentary, criticism, demonstration and education in accordance with Fair Use guidelines. Some of that material has been edited for clarity and time. If you’d like to contact the Oath! Media team, support our cause, or register your interest in the upcoming book edition of Faking Michael, please visit fakingmichael.com.

A team of researchers, led by Faking Michael host Damien Shields, make it their mission to uncover the truth regarding the Cascio tracks by conducting an independent investigation, starting with uncovering what really happened during the production of the album.

DISCLAIMER: Faking Michael is an investigative true crime podcast series co-produced by Damien Shields and Dan Villalobos, and published by Oath! Media. Research, writing and narration by Damien Shields. Original score, sound design and mixing by Dan Villalobos. Additional research by James Alay and Jamon Bull, and the teams at The MJCast and A Truth Untold. Artwork by Stephen Ward with creative direction from Samar Habib. Faking Michael is an independent piece of investigative reporting. All source material is used in a limited and transformative way, for the purpose of commentary, criticism, demonstration and education in accordance with Fair Use guidelines. Some of that material has been edited for clarity and time. If you’d like to contact the Oath! Media team, support our cause, or register your interest in the upcoming book edition of Faking Michael, please visit fakingmichael.com.

After questions are raised over the authenticity of the Cascio tracks, several of Michael Jackson’s former collaborators attend a listening session and offer their opinion on the vocals.

DISCLAIMER: Faking Michael is an investigative true crime podcast series co-produced by Damien Shields and Dan Villalobos, and published by Oath! Media. Research, writing and narration by Damien Shields. Original score, sound design and mixing by Dan Villalobos. Additional research by James Alay and Jamon Bull, and the teams at The MJCast and A Truth Untold. Artwork by Stephen Ward with creative direction from Samar Habib. Faking Michael is an independent piece of investigative reporting. All source material is used in a limited and transformative way, for the purpose of commentary, criticism, demonstration and education in accordance with Fair Use guidelines. Some of that material has been edited for clarity and time. If you’d like to contact the Oath! Media team, support our cause, or register your interest in the upcoming book edition of Faking Michael, please visit fakingmichael.com.

Eddie Cascio and James Porte are asked to explain the issues with the vocals on the Cascio tracks, but their response raises more questions than answers. Despite this, the Estate and Sony each issue statements asserting the authenticity of the vocals.

DISCLAIMER: Faking Michael is an investigative true crime podcast series co-produced by Damien Shields and Dan Villalobos, and published by Oath! Media. Research, writing and narration by Damien Shields. Original score, sound design and mixing by Dan Villalobos. Additional research by James Alay and Jamon Bull, and the teams at The MJCast and A Truth Untold. Artwork by Stephen Ward with creative direction from Samar Habib. Faking Michael is an independent piece of investigative reporting. All source material is used in a limited and transformative way, for the purpose of commentary, criticism, demonstration and education in accordance with Fair Use guidelines. Some of that material has been edited for clarity and time. If you’d like to contact the Oath! Media team, support our cause, or register your interest in the upcoming book edition of Faking Michael, please visit fakingmichael.com.

Eddie Cascio and James Porte are the creators of the Cascio tracks. In this episode we break down each of their stories, including how they ended up working together on songs for Michael Jackson.

DISCLAIMER: Faking Michael is an investigative true crime podcast series co-produced by Damien Shields and Dan Villalobos, and published by Oath! Media. Research, writing and narration by Damien Shields. Original score, sound design and mixing by Dan Villalobos. Additional research by James Alay and Jamon Bull, and the teams at The MJCast and A Truth Untold. Artwork by Stephen Ward with creative direction from Samar Habib. Faking Michael is an independent piece of investigative reporting. All source material is used in a limited and transformative way, for the purpose of commentary, criticism, demonstration and education in accordance with Fair Use guidelines. Some of that material has been edited for clarity and time. If you’d like to contact the Oath! Media team, support our cause, or register your interest in the upcoming book edition of Faking Michael, please visit fakingmichael.com.

When Jason Malachi's song “Mamacita” was mistaken for a new Michael Jackson song, Jason shot to fifteen minutes of fame. In this episode we detail Jason’s backstory, and how his career intersected with the life and death of the King of Pop.

DISCLAIMER: Faking Michael is an investigative true crime podcast series co-produced by Damien Shields and Dan Villalobos, and published by Oath! Media. Research, writing and narration by Damien Shields. Original score, sound design and mixing by Dan Villalobos. Additional research by James Alay and Jamon Bull, and the teams at The MJCast and A Truth Untold. Artwork by Stephen Ward with creative direction from Samar Habib. Faking Michael is an independent piece of investigative reporting. All source material is used in a limited and transformative way, for the purpose of commentary, criticism, demonstration and education in accordance with Fair Use guidelines. Some of that material has been edited for clarity and time. If you’d like to contact the Oath! Media team, support our cause, or register your interest in the upcoming book edition of Faking Michael, please visit fakingmichael.com.