Jackson set to fly to London

Michael Jackson, who is to be charged with child molestation tonight, is to fly to London this weekend after authorities returned his passport, it was reported in the US today.

Law-enforcement officials confirmed that charges would be filed nearly a month after police raided Jackson’s Neverland ranch in California.

The 45-year-old megastar has called the accusations a “big lie”.

A formal felony criminal complaint will be filed against Jackson at Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, California.

It is not clear what the exact charges will be, but Jackson was arrested and booked on suspicion of “multiple counts” of “lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 14“.

Jackson’s ranch was searched last month after a complaint by a 14-year-old that he had been molested by the star.

Jackson surrendered to police on November 20 and was led into a Santa Barbara sheriff’s office, before having his mug shot taken.

Since then he has said in a statement: “As you know, the charges recently directed at me are terribly serious. They are, however, predicated on a big lie.”

Lawyers have agreed to put off Jackson’s arraignment for five days, until January 16.

The New York Post reported today that Jackson will fly to London this weekend but gave no reason for the trip. Both his latest single and album are in the British charts.

The Post also said Jackson has become a member of the Nation of Islam led by firebrand Louis Farrakhan.

Fox News’s reported that Jackson’s brother Jermaine, who converted to Islam in 1989, has brought Farrakhan’s chief of staff into the star’s inner circle as a “bodyguard.”