Jewelry Designer Sues Perez Hilton For Libel

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The jeweler who helped design the engagement ring Brad Pitt recently gave Angelina Jolie is suing Hollywood blogger Perez Hilton for libel.

Robert Procop filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court Wednesday, saying a Hilton posting on April 17 wrongly accused him of committing criminal and civil fraud in connection with a 1985 diamond necklace transaction. He is asking for more than $500,000 in damages.

A representative for Hilton could not be immediately reached.

The posting stated that Procop had not only been sued for fraud, but that an $89,000 judgment was rendered against him, according to his court filing.

The posting further stated that the buyer thought he was getting a 25.5-carat necklace, but that in reality it only had 17.62 carats, the suit says.

"The statements that (Procop) was guilty of fraud in connection with a jewelry transaction and that the court in the fraud action had entered a judgment against plaintiff are false," according to the lawsuit.

Procop says he has suffered harm to his reputation. He also wrote that Hilton has refused to issue a retraction or remove the posting.

"As a world-renowned jewelry designer and jeweler, (Procop's) reputation for honesty is of critical importance to his business," the suit says.

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