A former bodyguard of Michael Jackson has been caught on camera attempting to sell the surgical face mask worn by the king of pop the night before he died. Jackson, who was known to rock a surgical mask in public quite frequently, also slept in them and apparently the bodyguard felt it was ok to snatch it for a profit.

News of the World, a U.K. tabloid, obtained footage of the bodyguard, Eric Muhammad, as he secretly demanded $150,000 for the mask in an apparent set-up. The tabloid was tipped off by an LA businessman, after he’d been approached by Muhammad to negotiate purchase of the legendary icon’s mask. News of the World sent in a replacement who pretended to be the ‘customer’ and a deal was made.

Muhammad, 36, is shown in the video boasting of his close relationship with the Jackson clan and even pulls out a paystub as proof of his employment. The footage captures Muhammad negotiating the deal for the deceased singer’s property:

I’ve got the mask that he wore on the night before….he died. This is a very personal item. This is the only way I could, you know, preserve it. This was HIS and you are more than welcome to DNA it. It still has his make-up on it. It still smells like him.

I was really banking brother on getting the money from the tour to do me well. And I’m not asking for a handout. To part with that, is very sentimental to me and I would hope that you obviously consider that.

Muhammad reportedly obtained the mask the day he took Jackson’s three children to the Los Angeles hospital to see their Dad, who was ultimately pronounced dead.  View the appalling video below: Continue Reading…