The internet is buzzing with conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Michael Jackson. Forums, message boards and Twitter are throwing up ever more bizarre explanations, and new websites have emerged dedicated to uncovering 'what really happened' to the King of Pop and posting 'sightings' of the singer.

Here's some of the most inventive theories, spoof theories and reports:

Fakes his death to escape mounting debts (his death has boosted record sales) and get out of London comeback gigs.
“Millions in debt and realises that he can't deliver on a 50 gig comeback tour, so he fakes his death, assumes a new identity (which he's been trying to achieve for many years) and disappears?” - Funky_Tomato via Digital Spy messageboard

Killed by incorrect TMZ death report
"TMZ story was not true, but the media bandwagon gained so much momentum they had to covertly kill him." - via Twitter

Assassinated by CIA using electromagnetic pulse weapon
"Russia’s FSB Reports Pop Icon Michael Jackson Assassinated By CIA

By: Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers (Traducción al Español abajo)

FSB sources are reporting to President Medvedev today that American pop icon Michael Jackson was “most assuredly” assassinated by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) after an examination of data transmitted by a Russian Military’s Kosmos 2450 satellite show “conclusively” that immediately prior to the music stars death in Los Angeles an electromagnetic pulse consistent in pattern to EMR weapons looted from the former Soviet Union by the United States was employed at the “exact coordinates” of the rock stars home. " - posted by richmick, davidicke.com forum

Killed by Iranian secret police
"My conspiracy theory is that the Iranian secret police killed Michael Jackson to get the U.S. and EU media to stop covering the election riots in Iran.

For over a week Americans have seen nothing but Iran on CNN, with the occasional update on how Caylee Anthony is still dead.  Now we will see nothing but non-stop Michael Jackson coverage for the next six months.

This obviously benefits the Iranian government, because now it does not have to even kick Western journalists out of the country, since they will all be rushing to Los Angeles to cover the latest rumors about Michael Jackson." - Ayatollah Dank CDXX via Google group messageboard

Michael died two years ago and was replaced by a lookalike
Conspiracy theorists cite Jacko's stumpy hands at the recent London press conference announcing his comeback gigs as evidence of a fake Jacko

If MJ is still alive, where is he now?

Shacked up with Elvis at a "top secret megacelebrity retirement community"
"Surely you've heard of the secret, seven-storey-deep bunker that Elvis Presley had built underneath Graceland, prior to faking his own death? MJ lives there now with Elvis and certain other 'dead' celebrities. You don't have to be sad for him any more." - 68comeback

Spotted fleeing US to start new life under assumed identity
"How could you mistake a face like that? Yes, I’m certain it was Michael Jackson. His hair was cut short and he was wearing dark sunglasses, but I’ve got a couple of his albums and seen him on TV and everything, so I have not doubt in my mind that it was him...Stars cross the Border here all the time, since we’re so close to LA, so it hadn’t occured to me at the time that it was that important." - unidentified witness who claims to have seen Michael cross California-Mexico boarder on Thursday evening, via michaeljacksonhoaxdeath.com

The photographic evidence!
Michaeljacksonsightings.com posted this photo, which was purportedly taken of the singer on June 27 - two days after his reported death: