Irish businessman Mr Brian Maccaba today lost his slander action in the Hight Court in London against a senior rabbi over alleged sexual slurs.
The businessman at the centre of the "Indecent Proposal" action before a jury in London had accused Dayan Yaakov Lichtenstein of spreading "poisonous" allegations that he was "sexual predator" and a "serial adulterer" who chased after young married Jewish women.
Rabbi Lichtenstein (49), a father of eight, from Cricklewood, north west London, and the senior judge in the Beth Din or rabbinical court of the Federation of Synagogues, strongly disputed slandering Mr Maccaba within the orthodox community in early 2001.
After nearly 32 hours of deliberation since last Friday, the jury today returned 10 to 1 verdicts on three questions they were asked to answer, with the result that Mr Maccaba lost his slander claim.
Dublin-born Mr Maccaba (46), who converted to Judaism in 1990, had vehemently denied defence claims that he offered family friend Alain Attar $1 million for his wife Nathalie and twice sexually harassed her.
Mr Maccaba , a twice-married father of six, from Hendon, north London, who is chief executive officer and founder of international technology company Cognotec, showed no emotion except to raise one eyebrow. He now faces a total costs bill of more than £2 million sterling.
The case, which lasted for 41 days spread over two months, became the longest-running slander action in English legal history.
Mr Maccaba said in a statement later: "I am naturally very disappointed that we have not succeeded in convincing the court of my case in slander and harassment against Dayan Lichtenstein," adding that he was consulting with his lawyers with regard to an appeal.