Paris - A civil law court found a French newspaper guilty yesterday of defamation and invasion of privacy after it printed two articles alleging that US actor Robert de Niro (54) was involved in a Paris prostitution ring.
The French daily France-Soir was ordered to pay de Niro 80,000 francs (£9,800) in damages and also to publish the court's ruling.
The Hollywood star vowed in February never to set foot in France again after his name surfaced in connection with the prostitution investigation.
His name became public after police officers pounced on him at his Paris hotel and subjected him to nine hours of questioning while he was in France for a film shoot.