Despite his passing in 2009, the late Michael Jackson and his lucrative empire are still making millions, earning the King of Pop the top spot once again on Forbes? 2016 Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities list.
How did Jackson keep his No. 1 spot for the fourth year in a row? In 1985, Jackson bought Sony/ATV Publishing and then later sold half of it back to Sony. In 2016, Sony bought Jackson?s half for $750 million, giving the singer his biggest payout to date. Cha-ching! Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz came in second on Forbes? list with $48 million. Golf veteran Arnold Palmer, who passed away just last month, claimed the No. 3 spot with $40 million, while music legend Elvis Presley ($27 million) and Prince ($25 million), who died just in April, took fourth and fifth place.
