Former Associate: 'Jackson Wanted to Adopt Some Boys'

(andPOP) - F. Marc Schaffel, the former associate of Michael Jackson who is currently suing the pop star for $1.6 million US, has said that he was once sent to Brazil to adopt boys for Jackson.

The Associated Press reports that Schaffel surprised the court, including his own lawyer, when he made the claim while being questioned about his background in the porn industry.

"The main purpose of my trip was Mr. Jackson wanted to adopt some boys," said Schaffel when asked if he visited Brazil to recruit talent for gay porn.

Jackson's lawyer, Thomas Mundell, said that the claim was a cheap shot.

"It was an effort to smear Mr. Jackson with a remark that could be interpreted to hurt him in light of the case against him last year," Mundell said, referring to Jackson's acquittal on child molestation charges.

Schaffel brought the lawsuit against Jackson -- now reduced to $1.6 million from the original $3.8 million claim -- for unpaid loans, royalties and other debts.