Officials order Jackson to shut down Neverland

Problems continue to plague former pop star Michael Jackson, as California state authorities have ordered the shut down of his famed Neverland Valley Ranch.

The state labour commissioner issued the "stop order" Thursday and fined Jackson for failing to pay employees and for failing to maintain proper insurance for the ranch's staff of 69.

"In effect, it shuts them down," Dean Fryer, a spokesperson for the California Department of Industrial Relations, told Reuters.

The 47-year-old Jackson was not at the ranch when authorities presented the order on Thursday.

The order forbids Jackson from employing anyone at the ranch until the insurance issues are resolved. The so-called King of Pop had allowed his workers compensation insurance policy to lapse as of Jan. 10 and was fined $1,000 US per employee.

Earlier this week, state authorities had also cited Jackson for failing to pay at least 30 ranch employees since December. They imposed a $100,000 US fine and demanded that he issue the unpaid wages of more than $300,000 US. 

Jackson has largely spent his time in the Persian Gulf country of Bahrain since his criminal trial last June, when he was acquitted of charges that he sexually abused a young boy at the ranch, located in the foothills of central California.

Jackson and his family can still live at the ranch but they would have to hire outside workers already covered by workers compensation, Fryer said.

Officials added that local animal welfare workers have been asked to care for the host of animals living at the Neverland zoo.

During last year's trial, prosecutors said the pop singer was dealing with mounting debts and financial problems.