King of pop abandons his Peter Pan-style paradise

Can the fairytale really be over? Can Michael Jackson's tenure at Neverland, his Peter Pan-style paradise where apparently nothing amiss ever happened, be through?

Reports yesterday suggested it might be so. Renewed speculation over the ranch came after staff claims that Jackson, who has been based in Dubai since he was cleared earlier this year of abusing a young boy at Neverland, has been struggling to pay their wages.

At least six Neverland employees have quit in recent months and earlier this summer work stopped at the ranch when the wages went unpaid on several occasions.
The entertainer's departure from his ranch was highlighted recently when he was randomly called for jury duty as a resident of Santa Barbara County. Jackson's attorney notified the court that he would not be able to serve because he would no longer be living at Neverland full time.

Jackson purchased Neverland, a former cattle ranch in California, for some US$17 million in 1988 and added a Disneyland-like theme park.

The news of the possible sale comes as Jackson has accused a former associate who is suing him for more than US$3 million ($4.2 million), of concealing and misappropriating funds.

The singer's lawyer, Brent Ayscough, said Jackson had filed the cross-complaint against Marc Schaffel in Los Angeles on October 18. The original lawsuit, filed last November, claimed Jackson owed Schaffel US$800,000 ($1.13 million) for producing two 2003 television specials and US$2.3 million ($3.3 million) for payments and loans made to the entertainer over the past three years.

In the latest filing, Jackson said Schaffel failed to pay costs related to the production of the song What More Can I Give?. The complaint also alleged Schaffel continued to represent himself as being affiliated with Jackson after their business arrangement had ended, and that he kept US$250,000 ($353,752) worth of art belonging to Jackson.

Ayscough said Schaffel had tried to get a lien placed on Neverland. Schaffel's lawyer, Howard King, dismissed the accusation, calling it "another ridiculous claim".

- INDEPENDENT