'Girls Gone Wild' founder convicted

'Girls Gone Wild' founder Joe Francis has been found guilty of assault and false imprisonment following a dispute with three women after a night out at a Hollywood club.

Francis’ company, GGW Brands, made a fortune selling 'Girls Gone Wild' videos and magazines showing young women flashing their breasts.

The company filed for bankruptcy in February after years of legal troubles, listing more than $16m (€12.2m) in disputed claims.

Los Angeles city attorney Carmen Trutanich said that after a two-week trial, a jury convicted the Francis (aged 40) of three counts of false imprisonment, one count of assault causing great bodily injury and one count of dissuading a witness.

He faces a maximum of five years in prison.

A hearing to schedule his sentencing will be held tomorrow.

Francis met the three women as they celebrated a college graduation at a the Supper Club in Hollywood on January 29, 2011.

He took one of them by the hand as he left and took her to his limousine, and the other two followed, thinking Francis was giving them a ride to their car, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Francis took the women to his home and a dispute broke out when he tried to separate one from the other two, with Francis grabbing one of the women by the hair and throat and slamming her head into the ground.

After an investigation, the district attorney declined to file felony charges in the case and referred it to the city attorney, who filed the misdemeanour charges.

Previous phone numbers for Francis were disconnected and neither he nor his lawyers could immediately be reached for comment.