Jacko's Secret Hideaway
February 10, 2004

The last time the King of Pop was seen in public was his now infamous
post-arraignment SUV strut and a party at Neverland, where he has refused
to live since the raid. Instead, Jackson has been renting a huge Beverly
Hills estate to the tune of about $100,000 a month ­ but "Celebrity
Justice" has found out that he hasn't been staying there.

"CJ" has learned that Michael Jackson has retreated even farther south:
down the coast to La Jolla, an exclusive enclave by the Pacific Ocean's
edge. It is here, in a luxurious lair, sources tell "CJ," that Jackson has
been laying low. We've also learned that it¢s the home of billionaire Ron
Burkle.

The house is in a neighborhood of very large homes of which it is by far
the largest and most lavish. So much so, in fact, that it's sometimes
mistaken for a luxury hotel. Sitting on five of the most exclusive acres
in the country, the mansion is valued at $30 million.

The super-wealthy Burkle can well afford the price tag, though. A
Democratic fundraiser and famous friend of Bill Clinton's, Burkle also
owns a historic and well-guarded $12 million estate in Beverly Hills
called Green Acres where he's hosted many star-studded charity events.

After last year's MTV Movie Awards, Jackson himself partied at Green Acres
with megastars Beyonce Knowles, Leo DiCaprio and Gwen Stefani.

Ron Burkle was originally a supermarket mogul, but has since branched out.
Buying out and merging grocery chains like Ralph¢s, Burkle became one of
California¢s wealthiest residents, then parlayed that money into a power
seat in the entertainment world. Reportedly, Burkle is a big investor in
Sean "P. Diddy" Combs¢ Sean John clothing line.

But it's his big estate by the shore that caught Jackson's eye as a place
of refuge in the eye of the storm.

Michael Jackson is proving once again that despite his legal problems, he
is a genius for finding absolutely fabulous surroundings.

http://celebrityjustice.warnerbros.com/news/0402/10a.html