Michael Jackson's friend Rabbi Shmuley Boteach has defended Wade Robson and James Safechuck, the two men who have accused the singer of sexual abuse in the documentary Leaving Neverland.

Boteach, who published a set of taped interviews with Jackson following the star's death, said that he believes Robson and Safechuck are not lying about being molested as children.

"I don't believe these men are lying, and I don't believe that the shame and guilt being experienced by their parents in general, maybe their mothers, in particular, is feigned," Boteach told Australian news show A Current Affair.

“We've never heard allegations that were this detailed. We've never really seen the faces of the accusers as they make these allegations, and we've never really heard the family members who had to shoulder that pain.”

Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Show all 9 1 /9 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Michael Jackson with accuser Wade Robson Sundance Insitute Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Accuser Wade Robson meeting Michael Jackson for the first time Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Michael Jackson with the Robson family Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Michael Jackson at the home of accuser James Safechuck Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Dan Reed approached the Michael Jackson documentary with 'all the scepticism and rigorousness that I would approach a story about a terrorist attack' Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Michael Jackson leaves the courtroom on a break at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse for the second day of closing arguments in his child molestation trial in Santa Maria, California, 2005 AFP/Getty Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Michael Jackson accuser Wade Robson Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers James Safechuck, another of Jackson's accusers Channel 4 Leaving Neverland – photos show Michael Jackson with his accusers Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed Channel 4

The Jackson estate has called Leaving Neverland a “public lynching” and are suing HBO – who co-produced the film with Channel 4 – for $100 million.

Boteach was friends with Jackson between 1999 and 2001. Although he insisted that he had no idea whether previous allegations against the singer were true, he decided to sever their friendship.

“I wasn't a fan, I was a friend. I wasn't a hanger-on. I was a rabbi, and I felt that I had to leave, and that's when I severed our relationship,” he said.

“I didn't know if to believe it or not. We didn't know. What I did know was, that regardless of whether it was true or not, Michael could never again really be around children.