CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Nation of Islam, the African-American Muslim movement led by Louis Farrakhan, has denied having an official relationship with Michael Jackson amid reports the group is controlling the pop singer's business.

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The public relations firm hired by the Santa Barbara County district attorney's office denied it "played the race card" in the child molestation case against Michael Jackson, countering a statement made by defense attorney Mark Geragos on CNN's "Larry King Live" Thursday.

Michael Jackson became a member of the black group Nation of Islam on the eve of being formally charged with child molestation, the New York Post reported today.