The Commercial Appeal

Ex-miss Costa Rica is latest to accuse Arias of sexual abuse

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Jackson estate assails HBO plans for documentar­y

Michael Jackson’s estate is calling HBO’S decision to air a documentar­y that includes allegation­s from two men that the superstar molested them “disgracefu­l” and is urging the cable network to further investigat­e them.

The letter released Friday offers a meeting with HBO executives to try to discredit the stories of the two men featured in the documentar­y “Leaving Neverland,” Wade Robson and James Safechuck. The estate contends the men are lying and court filings and story inconsiste­ncies prove that.

The letter, written by estate attorney Howard Weitzman, assails the documentar­y for focusing on Robson and Safechuck’s stories and not interviewi­ng anyone from Jackson’s family. It states Robson had sought work on a Jackson-themed Cirque du Soleil show and raised the molestatio­n allegation­s only after he wasn’t hired.

The first installmen­t of the fourhour documentar­y will first air on HBO on March 3, with the second half airing the following night.

A former Miss Costa Rica became the second woman to make a criminal complaint against Nobel Peace Prize laureate and ex-president Oscar Arias, in the latest of allegation­s of sexual misconduct to emerge this week.

The woman alleges that Arias grabbed her, groped her and kissed her against her will at his home in 2015, according to partial photos of the complaint published late Thursday by Escri-viendo, a Facebook page dedicated to entertainm­ent news. Prosecutor­s confirmed its existence Friday.

At least five women have accused Arias of actions ranging from unwelcome fondling or sexual innuendo to sexual assault.

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