MICHAEL Jackson’s allegations were part of a scam to damage his image and steal his multi-million dollar music catalog, claims Akon.

The rapper – a former friend of the oddball superstar – insists the singer is innocent of all the allegations of child molestation stacked against him.

And he dismissed the King Of Pop’s shocking pedophilia charges as “propaganda” used in a elaborate scheme to gain control of his huge publishing empire.

While not going into financial details, Akon claims multiple parties wanted a cut of MJ’s own catalog as well as the Sony ATV catalog – which featured The Beatles hits.

Jackson’s staggering move to outbid Sir Paul McCartney for the Fab Four’s music rights was the envy of the record industry when he splashed out $47m in 1985.

After the Thriller singer landed the huge music portfolio, Akon says that others wanted to seize that power from him.

In the last 18 months, Jackson’s legacy has been destroyed by claims from two former child friends.

James Safechuck and Wade Robson outlined their alleged grooming and abuse in the Netflix documentary ‘Leaving Neverland.’

Safechuck claims he was ab-sed by the King of Pop for years after meeting him when he was nine years old in 1987 while filming a Pepsi commercial.

Jackson maintained he was innocent right up until his death in 2009.

Representatives for Jackson’s estate later issued a statement condemning the documentary.

And Akon also stood by his former friend and former music collaborator in an interview with Vlad TV.

He said: “All that was propaganda because Mike was doing so much big things in the publishing world.

“I always felt like in the music side he was buying out a lot of great real estate. And he would not sell it back or would not offer no options for it to be sold.

“Then of course his own catalog… there was a fight around that.

“What Michael was more about is power because he was super smart and understood what real value meant to America.

“So he had access to a lot of American value, and he owned it. And if he did not own 100 per cent he owned it fifty per cent.

“And at some point they are gonna want to have the option to buy it back or control it to an extent, and Mike would not just allow it.

“And that is when a lot of propaganda and all these whispers started coming out about him, that is clearly not true.”

Jackson’s estate handed over the rights to the Sony ATV catalogue for $750m in 2016.

The rapper, who co-wrote ‘Hold My Hand’ with Jacko, added: “Mike liked women.

“We had some real conversations and I got to know his type – he liked models, tall and slim models – you know what I am saying?”

Akon also spoke on how Jackson choreographed everything that he wanted the outside world to see.

He said: “The only thing I really react to is that the world never saw Michael as his true self.

“They always see the choreographed Mike – the Mike he wanted you to see.
He choreographed everything about himself as an artist.”

Akon says he loved going out with Jackson, when the Grammy winner was often dressed in disguise.

On one occasion MJ, in disguise, took photos of fans with Akon for twenty minutes and they didn’t recognize him.

“Michael was just giggling, taking the pictures and tripping off.”

On Wednesday, we reported how Akon is spending $6 million to make Black Panther’s fictional African city of Wakanda a reality.

Construction will begin next year on the pricey project based in Diamniadio Lake City in Senegal.