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A SERIES of questions today surrounded the man who allegedly tried and failed to resuscitate Michael Jackson following his heart attack.
Dr Tohme Tohme has been described as Jackson's personal physician, close friend, manager and official spokesman. Today he stood silently by the side of Jermaine Jackson as he announced to the world that his brother had died.
According to Jermaine, Dr Tohme was with Jackson when he collapsed at his rented home in Los Angeles yesterday and then tried to resuscitate the pop star. Asked for his reaction at the press conference, Dr Tohme simply replied that Jermaine would be the only representative for the family.
According to close associates, Jackson and Dr Tohme had fallen out since coming to London in March to announce his comeback tour. Sources say they were no longer on speaking terms.
Jackson is said to have formally notified associates last month that Dr Tohme, who paved the way for the deal for the This Is It tour, was not representing him after he received a cease-and-desist letter for the O2 residency from AllGood Entertainment, the company that had represented the Jackson 5.
The row had led to Jackson re-connecting with Frank DiLeo, who managed the singer in his Eighties heyday.
It was Mr DiLeo, not Dr Tohme, who had been acting as Jackson's manager over the last two months, according to his business associates. A source said: "Michael had a revolving door of managers and it seemed that Dr Tohme was out the exit. It's surprising that Dr Tohme was around when Michael died - he seemed shut out over the past weeks."
Doctor-turned-businessman Dr Tohme says he is a qualified orthopaedic surgeon from Saudi Arabia. He met Jackson when the singer was defaulting on a £10million loan. They were introduced by Jermaine. Dr Tohme promised that he could refinance Jackson's spiralling £100million debt and quickly became his manager and confidant.
Dr Tohme brokered a deal between Jackson and Colony Capital, a private-equity firm run by billionaire Tom Barrack Jr. Philip Anschutz, owner of AEG Live, the US entertainment giant which went on to handle the final tour, then received a call from Mr Barrack, his friend. Randy Phillips, AEG chief executive, said: "I got a call from Dr Tohme, who said Michael was in bad financial straits." Last December, Mr Phillips presented Dr Tohme with his vision. "Phase one would be 10 shows at the O2," he said.
But as the pressure of what had grown to 50 shows mounted, it would appear that Dr Tohme - the very man who had "saved" him from financial ruin - was no longer welcome in Jackson's life.
Reader views (3)
Michael Jackson knew and trusted Dr. Tohme and that's why in late June Michael made it known that he wanted Tohme to continue working for him and to be with him in London. That's also why he wanted Dr. Tohme and DiLeo to get along and to work together for his behalf. This is the TRUTH and the TRUTH will prevail.
- Anb, santa monica USA, 20/11/2009 00:41
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Dr. Tohme did a lot of good things for Michael Jackson, as his manager. Besides working to prevent foreclosure on Neverland, he negotiated the O2 deal that would prove to the world that Michael Jackson was and is the King of Pop. All in all, Tohme was a positive force in Michael Jackson's life. Tohme and Michael Jackson reconciled before he passed, and Dr. Tohme was never fired. Unfortunately, Tohme was not a daily presence during the last few months of Michael Jackson's life, Michael Jackson wanted it known to those around him that Dr. Tohme was indeed a welcome presence who he wished to remain involved in his business. Tohme had Michael Jackson's best interests at heart.
- Anb, Santa Monica USA, 11/11/2009 17:15
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it seems this dr? tohme pulled all the strings
he stopped neverland ranch being taken away from michael.
so when michael tells him he (dr tohme) is no longer manager i think he would have been extremely upset after all he had done
and as ive read somewhere michael did say if i dont go through with it they will kill me! ? who could he be refering to? could it be dr tohme or the group who dr tohme was involved in
no wonder michael went back to frank dileo someone who he knew and trusted
x
- Summer, teeside, 11/11/2009 16:15
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