Los Angeles, March 9 (Reuters): 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, at least temporarily, by an agent of the state labour commissioner after the office discovered that his worker’s 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).”

He said that Jackson could re-open the ranch if he obtains workers compensation insurance. Jackson was cleared last June of criminal charges that he sexually abused a young boy at Neverland,

The order prohibits Jackson from employing anyone at the 1,130-hectare ranch until the insurance issues are resolved, Fryer said.