CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- The Cryonics Institute has been ordered to stop operating its business by the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services.

CIS said the institute is operating as an unlicensed mortuary science establishment and a nonregistered cemetery.

The governmental agency said it was made aware of the Michigan cryonics facility after the death of Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ted Williams, whose remains are frozen in an Arizona cryonics facility.

Cryonics is defined as the process of freezing and storing the body of a recently deceased person to prevent tissue decomposition so that at some future time the person might be brought back to life upon development of new medical cures.

"Our investigation revealed the Cryonics Institute is clearly operating as both a funeral establishment and cemetery without any state oversight," said David C, Hollister, director of CIS. "We are extremely concerned that people from around the world have invested their trust and finances into this facility to preserve their bodies for eternity, yet this facility continues to knowingly operate outside the scope of the law."

The facility, located at 24355 Sorrentino Court, is being ordered to preserve the bodies currently in its care; however, it will not be able to accept any new contracts or bodies.

Hollister said CIS is encouraging the Cryonics Institute to take the necessary steps to come in compliance with state law.

The Cryonics Institute may become licensed either as a funeral establishment or registered as a cemetery; however, current law would prohibit the Cryonics Institute from being able to do both. The law stipulates that bodies cannot be prepared at the scene of a cemetery, however the institute could make arrangements for the bodies to be prepared in a licensed funeral home, according to CIS.