Flatley wins multi-million dollar lawsuit over rape claim

'Lord Of The Dance' star Michael Flatley has won US$11m (€7.5m) in a lawsuit against a woman who falsely accused him of sexual assault and attempted to extort money from him, it emerged today.

Flatley lodged a US$100m (€68m) lawsuit over the malicious claims made by Tyna Marie Robertson, and the settlement was offered yesterday after he demonstrated before the California Supreme Court that the accusations were false, and part of a scheme to extort millions of dollars from him.

Today, the Irish dance sensation said: “I am very pleased with the judgment awarded to me. Ms Robertson tried to extort money from me by spreading these lies and the Court sent a message that it will not tolerate these types of schemes.”

Flatley was given permission last year to sue over the accusations.

Robertson, a real estate agent, alleged the dancer had raped her in a Las Vegas hotel in October 2002. Her attorney, Dean Mauro, threatened to file a sexual assault lawsuit unless Flatley agreed to a “seven figures” settlement, according to court papers.

Flatley later said that he was told the sum of money, thought to be around US$30m (€20.5m), was payment for keeping the rape allegation quiet.

When Flatley refused to pay, insisting the sex was consensual, and police declined to become involved because Robertson had declined to press charges against the dancer, Robertson filed a US$33m (€22.5m) civil sexual assault lawsuit in Illinois, which was eventually dismissed.

Flatley countered the accusations saying he had been a victim of defamation, extortion and fraud. He said that his secretary sleeping in the next room heard no protests from Robertson, and that the next morning, she kissed him in front of the secretary and had a “relaxed and happy” breakfast with him, according to the court papers.

The dancer gave his first live recital last month since his battle with a mysterious immune virus that left him fighting for his life last December. The condition had seen him admitted to hospital and doctors thought he might never dance again.