Pop singer Michael Jackson was ordered to shut down his Neverland Valley Ranch yesterday by California authorities who have fined the pop star $169,000 for failing to pay his employees or maintain proper insurance.
Jackson's sprawling ranch in the central California foothills was closed, temporarily, by an agent of the State Labour Commissioner after the office discovered that his workers' compensation policy had lapsed in January.
"We went out there this morning and issued a stop order to the security guard at the front gate," state Department of Industrial Relations spokesman Dean Fryer said.
"We asked to be escorted in to meet management, but we were refused and turned away, so we gave the order to [the guard]."
Mr Fryer said local animal welfare officials had been asked to care for the inhabitants of Neverland's zoo. He said that Jackson could reopen the ranch if he obtains workers compensation insurance but may face legal action by the state if he fails to pay the back wages.
Jackson, who was cleared last June of criminal charges that he sexually abused a young boy at Neverland, has spent much of his time since the trial in Bahrain and was not at his ranch when authorities arrived.
His representatives could not immediately be reached for comment.
The order prohibits Jackson from employing anyone at the 2,800-acre ranch until the insurance issues are resolved, Mr Fryer said. "So it looks like this would mean for Neverland Valley Ranch that they would be closed down."
Jackson was fined $69,000, or $1,000 per employee, for allowing his insurance to lapse.
Earlier this week, authorities cited him for violating state labour law by failing to pay at least 30 employees since December of 2005.
A letter for that citation imposes a $100,000 fine and demands that he make good on $306,000 in unpaid wages.