The king of pop: A history

Police charges of child abuse collapsed in 1995 when Jackson made a pounds 21m settlement with 14-year-old Jordy Chandler, who then refused to testify.

Drinks giant Pepsi removed its pounds 35m sponsorship from Jackson's Dangerous tour after he admitted being addicted to painkillers.

Jackson's Thriller album is the biggest-selling record ever, at 45 million copies but his HIStory double-album sold only 10 million copies and dropped out of the top 20 after two months.

Jackson has announced plans to build a pounds 100m Disney-style theme park in Poland, and another in Rome with an international airport that would create 2000 jobs.