Pedo Land closes.
Michael Jackson has shut down his Neverland Ranch for good. Employees were summoned to the ranch Thursday at 5 p.m. PST in staggered groups, given back pay for 12 weeks through today, and were told the ranch had been shut down by the California Department of Labor.
In fact, Jackson made the decision to lay off more than 60 loyal staffers after making them wait through three months with no pay. Their health insurance ran out on February 28th. Last week, the State closed the ranch because Jackson carried no workmen's compensation.
Despite misleading statements from Jackson?s spokesperson Raymone Bain, I am told that Neverland is indeed closed except to Jackson?s family members and security staff.
Some of the employees of Neverland had been there with Jackson since he bought the place in the late 80s. A few actually had worked for the previous owner. They leave without pensions or the ability to apply for COBRA health insurance. All they can do now is apply for unemployment. My sources say many of them have already done that.
"It's unbelievable," says one longtime staffer. "We got nothing for the pain of what just happened, and nothing to see us through. Some of the people here are close to retirement age and they have nothing to retire on."
Sources tell me Jackson, who may be in London tonight, has been living very well in the Middle East island country of Bahrain. Prince Abdullah has supplied him with a driver, a Bentley GT and a Rolls Royce Phantom. "He is not returning to the US," says a source who spoke with Jackson last weekend. In this country, Jackson faces several lawsuits as well as the foreclosure on $270 million of loans.
Still not clear is who paid the final back pay, which could have totaled $400,000. Jackson also has to pay the state two separate fines, one for $69,000 and another, to be determined on Friday, over $100,000.
"I will miss Neverland," my source concedes. "There were a lot of good times."
But now it's all over.
In fact, Jackson made the decision to lay off more than 60 loyal staffers after making them wait through three months with no pay. Their health insurance ran out on February 28th. Last week, the State closed the ranch because Jackson carried no workmen's compensation.
Despite misleading statements from Jackson?s spokesperson Raymone Bain, I am told that Neverland is indeed closed except to Jackson?s family members and security staff.
Some of the employees of Neverland had been there with Jackson since he bought the place in the late 80s. A few actually had worked for the previous owner. They leave without pensions or the ability to apply for COBRA health insurance. All they can do now is apply for unemployment. My sources say many of them have already done that.
"It's unbelievable," says one longtime staffer. "We got nothing for the pain of what just happened, and nothing to see us through. Some of the people here are close to retirement age and they have nothing to retire on."
Sources tell me Jackson, who may be in London tonight, has been living very well in the Middle East island country of Bahrain. Prince Abdullah has supplied him with a driver, a Bentley GT and a Rolls Royce Phantom. "He is not returning to the US," says a source who spoke with Jackson last weekend. In this country, Jackson faces several lawsuits as well as the foreclosure on $270 million of loans.
Still not clear is who paid the final back pay, which could have totaled $400,000. Jackson also has to pay the state two separate fines, one for $69,000 and another, to be determined on Friday, over $100,000.
"I will miss Neverland," my source concedes. "There were a lot of good times."
But now it's all over.
mmmmm....... jesus juuuiccce..... 
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