Washington, July 2 (ANI): Cash-strapped Michael Jackson used to perform private one-night concerts for Arab sheikhs, and charge them 2.5 million dollars a time, say reports.

The King of Pop, who was nearly bankrupt at the time of his death, was said to have relied on handouts from his friend Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the son of the king of Bahrain.

He was virtually insolvent. Since his 2005 acquittal on sexual abuse charges, he initially supported himself at the largesse of Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, son of Bahrain's king, Contactmusic quoted DailyBeast.com as saying.

When that money pipeline was cut off, The Daily Beast learned that Jackson resorted to doing one-night gigs for private parties for Arab sheikhs and Russians in London.

These gigs, I am told, commanded up to 2.5 million dollars for an hour performance or sometimes were bartered in exchange for works of art, it was added. (ANI)