Michael Jackson's family confronted the pop legend about his drug use in an emotional intervention before his death, his brother Tito says in comments published by a British newspaper.
Alarmed at reports Jackson was addicted to prescription drugs, Tito said he and his brothers and sisters conducted a military-style raid on the King of Pop's Neverland ranch.
Tito said Jackson "did everything in his power to make sure we didn't know" about his suspected drug use, but as the number of reports increased, so too the Jackson family's fears for his health.
"We had to act. It was me, my sisters Janet, Rebbie and La Toya and my brothers Jackie and Randy," he told the Daily Mirror in an interview published on Wednesday.
"We burst right into the house and he was surprised to see us to say the least. We went into one of his private rooms and had a discussion with him. Some of us were crying."
Jackson, one of the world's most popular entertainers, died on June 25. The singer was 50.
Investigators are scrutinising the possible role of drugs in his death, after he suffered an apparent cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles.
"We kept asking him if it was true what we had heard that he was using drugs. He kept denying it. He said we were over-reacting," Tito said.
"We also spoke to a doctor and he assured us it was not the situation. He said he was there to make sure Michael was healthy."
The Daily Mirror does not say when the intervention occurred.
Tito said they tried again to confront Jackson about his perceived drug problem, but were kept at bay by the pop star's security team.
"After that occasion, we tried many times but his team of people just kept shutting us out, they would not let us close. They literally shut us out."
"I don't know if they were just doing their job or if they were part of some kind of conspiracy."
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