Jordan Chandler and the Recantation Myth Debunked

March 11, 2020

A widely circulated myth claims that Jordan Chandler — the first boy to publicly accuse Michael Jackson of sexual abuse in 1993 — later admitted his allegations were false and had been coerced by his father, Evan Chandler. A similar narrative has also been attached to Gavin Arvizo, the central figure in the 2005 trial. These claims have frequently appeared in blogs, comment sections, and even Wikipedia edits, often suggesting that Evan manipulated his son into fabricating the story in order to extort money from Jackson during a time of alleged financial difficulty.

However, a closer examination reveals that this theory does not withstand factual or logical scrutiny.

Evan Chandler was a successful dentist operating in Beverly Hills with a high-profile clientele that reportedly included celebrities and Hollywood executives. Far from being financially desperate, the Chandlers had the means to retain prominent legal representation at various stages of the case. They first enlisted Gloria Allred, a well-known attorney with a history of representing victims of abuse, before shifting to civil litigation specialist Larry Feldman. The suggestion that a wealthy and well-connected family fabricated allegations purely for financial gain overlooks these material realities and the legal complexity of the decisions they made.

Crucially, there has been no credible report, formal statement, or verifiable media coverage confirming a retraction. Considering the intense and prolonged media obsession with Michael Jackson — both in life and death — such a revelation would have been headline news globally. The absence of legitimate coverage is telling in itself.

The rumour appears to have gained traction following Jackson’s death in 2009, during an effort by some fans and media personalities to rehabilitate his image. In many cases, questionable blogs and unverified sources reused and republished the same ambiguous, poorly worded statements without citation or evidence.

In fact, the vague "confession" that initially circulated was so poorly written that whoever composed it didn't even distinguish between Jordan and Evan.

The original title was: "Evan Chandler, I Lied for my father, I'm so sorry Michael." Rather than addressing this glaring inaccuracy, many Jackson fans simply corrected the names and continued spreading the myth.

You can find a discussion on this topic in the MJJCommunity forum.

In November 2009, Jordan’s uncle, Raymond Chandler, directly addressed the rumour in an interview with The Daily Mail:

'There have been all these reports saying that Evan and Jordy had retracted [the abuse allegations].

Well, I can tell you there has been no retraction. My brother always maintained that his son was molested.'

Source: dailymail.co.uk

His statement stands as a clear rebuttal from someone within the Chandler family and offers a rare point of direct testimony on the matter.

The respected fact-checking outlet Snopes.com also evaluated the rumour, ultimately classifying it as false due to lack of verifiable evidence. Their report concluded:

"Since the only source of this information was a single poorly worded statement that was reproduced verbatim in multiple blogs, and that there was no mention of the alleged confession of Jordan Chandler (or any statement by Chandler) in the media communication, despite Michael Jackson's continued coverage after the death of the artist, we have to classify it as fake."

Source: snopes.com

Even The Michael Jackson Allegations, a pro-Jackson website devoted to defending his innocence, has refuted the retraction claim. It explicitly describes the rumour as an internet hoax, pointing out that it lacks substantiation and credibility even within fan circles:

No, that is not true. The rumor that after the singer’s death Jordan Chandler publicly confessed that he was not molested by Jackson was an Internet hoax.

Source: The Michael Jackson Allegations

Moreover, Chandler’s continued silence should not be mistaken for an implicit retraction. The 1994 settlement not only prohibits him from speaking publicly about the case, but he and his family have also endured persistent stalking and harassment from Michael Jackson fans. In 2017, during legal proceedings initiated by Wade Robson, Chandler’s sister Lily submitted a formal request to the court to prevent Robson’s legal team from contacting her family for a statement. Attached to her request was a collection of hostile, threatening messages sent by Jackson’s fans — intended to intimidate and silence the family. The filing explicitly cited these threats as a key reason for their continued unwillingness to cooperate publicly (see Page 24 of the legal brief).

In light of this environment, it is not only understandable but also expected that Chandler would be reluctant to re-enter the public sphere. The claim that he has recanted becomes even less plausible when considering the persistent harassment he and his family have faced. Had a genuine retraction occurred, it would likely have reduced, rather than exacerbated, this pressure.

Conclusion: There is no credible evidence to suggest that Jordan Chandler withdrew his allegations against Michael Jackson. This myth is based on unverified speculation, spread by unreliable sources, and contradicts both testimony and logical reasoning. If anything, his silence strongly suggests that his original claims remain valid—rather than a complete retraction, which would have sparked global headlines and intense scrutiny.