Michael Jackson's mimic says album he recorded is being passed off as late singer's

A man has come forward to claim that songs he recorded mimicking Michael Jackson are now being passed off as being the late singer's voice on a new blockbuster album.

Ricky Galliano, 27, said he was paid a lot of money to copy MJ's style on 21 tracks that had been recorded in secret sessions at a Swiss studio.

Galliano, who met Jackson several times before his death aged 50 in June 2009, said a go-between who he thinks was from Bahrain summoned him to studios in Lausanne in October.

He said the man, who was flanked by bodyguards and lawyers, paid him €2000 up front for each song recorded.

"They were most insistent that I make my voice sound as much like Michael's as possible — to mimic him exactly," the Sun quoted him as saying.

Studio owner Mohammed Ben Salah said he was told the songs were for a Jackson tribute disc.

Jackson's family members had said they also believe a fake voice was used for the Christmas release called Michael.

But music giant Sony dismissed the claims as "far fetched" and said they went to "extraordinary lengths" to ensure the vocals are genuine.

A Sony spokesperson said six of Jackson's former producers and engineers heard the album tracks and confirmed it was "definitely" his voice.