Officials from the Nation of Islam, a separatist black Muslim group, have moved in with Michael Jackson and are asserting control over the singer’s business affairs, friends, employees and business associates of Jackson said. Initially invited to the Neverland Ranch several weeks ago to provide security to the singer, members of the group are now restricting access to him and have begun making decisions for him related to the media, his business affairs and even his legal strategy, Jackson’s associates said. Jackson faces charges of child molesting in Santa Barbara and recently moved into a rented house in Los Angeles, where Nation of Islam officials have accompanied him. Efforts to reach Jackson through his spokesman were not successful.Leonard Muhammad, chief of staff and son-in-law of the Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, now works out of the Los Angeles office of Mark Geragos, Jackson’s lawyer, Jackson’s associates said. Muhammad stood behind Geragos during a recent news conference and, according to two of Jackson’s employees, he participates in phone calls involving media and legal strategy.Jackson’s official spokesman, Stuart Backerman, resigned on Monday to protest the group’s presence, said a colleague of Backerman, who could not be reached for comment. —(NYT)
