Michael Jackson’s family is frightend that his dead body is in danger of being stolen after receiving thousands of disturbing letters from fans, sources say.

The late King of Pop was memorialized at Los Angeles’ Staples Center on July 7, but he remains unburied at Hollywood’s Forest Lawn Cemetary as the family decides on his final resting place. The Jacksons are on edge after hearing that crime lords may be looking to kidnap MJ’s corpse in exchange for ransom, The Herald Sun reports.

An insider told the publication: “There are fears organized criminals will steal his body and try to hold it for ransom. There are a lot of desperate people out there who believe Michael’s corpse would bring a king’s ransom.”

According to a second source, a gang in Latin America is reportedly plotting to loot the body.

“Michael had a massive following in Latin America. We’ve heard there’s a gang plotting to fly to Los Angeles, steal the body, then take it back to their country and keep it for themselves.”

In mountains of fanmail sent to the family in the weeks since Jackson’s passing, crazed MJ fans have expressed desires to “sleep on top of his grave to be close to him” and even begged for strands of his hair.

A team of guards has been enlisted to watch over the late singer’s remains.