Los Angeles, Nov 27: Superstar Michael Jackson will be formally charged on multiple counts of child molestation in mid-December, prosecutors said. Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon announced yesterday that he would file a formal criminal complaint with a court in the California city near Jackson's Neverland Ranch, in the week of December 15-18.

"It is anticipated that the Felony complaint will be filed sometime during the week of December 15," Sneddon said in a statement that said charges had been delayed to allow a new website on the case to be set up. All court-issued information on the highly-publicized case, including the formal charging document, will be posted on the website Sneddon said, adding that the exact date of the filing would be announced two days in advance.

Sheriff's Department Sergeant Lance Craig told media the date of the filing of charges was likely to be December 17. On Thursday, Jackson turned himself to police who arrested him on "multiple charges" of abusing a child, reportedly a 12-year-old boy who has survived a battle with cancer.

Jackson, 45, has strongly denied the accusations and dismissed them as a "big lie." His lawyer suggested on Tuesday that the motive behind the claims was greed, as people try to use the star like "a lottery ticket" in a bid to cash in on his fortune.

Bureau Report