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John McClain, the veteran music executive who served as co-executor of the Michael Jackson estate for over 15 years, has died at the age of 71, his estate has confirmed.
McClain, who had been dealing with significant health issues for an extended period, died Monday due to complications from a fall, according to a representative for the estate. He passed away in Malibu, California.
McClain and entertainment attorney John Branca were jointly named co-executors of Jackson's estate following the King of Pop's unexpected death in June 2009 at the age of 50.
"I am profoundly grieved at the loss of my partner and brother John McClain," Branca said in a statement. "One of the great innovators in the world of music and music marketing, John was a visionary, seeing past the mundane and into the future. It is difficult to imagine a world without him."
At the time of Jackson's death, the singer carried close to half a billion dollars in debt. Under McClain and Branca's stewardship, the estate was transformed into a multi-billion-dollar operation through music licensing, theatrical productions, catalog sales, and film projects, including the 2009 concert documentary "This Is It," the long-running Cirque du Soleil residency in Las Vegas, and the recently released "Michael" biopic.
McClain's focus remained largely on the creative side, where he was widely credited with preserving Jackson's artistic legacy, while Branca handled legal and transactional affairs.
The estate has faced legal challenges in recent years, most notably a lawsuit filed in July 2025 by Jackson's daughter Paris, who alleged unauthorized payments to the executors. A judge ordered $625,000 in bonus payments returned to the estate last week.
No new co-executor is expected to be appointed.
