Joe Francis - Francis To Lose Mansion Over Gambling Debt?

JOE FRANCIS faces losing his mansion after refusing to pay back an outstanding gambling debt, according to a U.S. report.

The Girls Gone Wild creator has been ordered to pay off a $2 million (£1.3 million) debt to Las Vegas mogul Sam Wynn's casino resort, Wynn Las Vegas.

During a court deposition in February (09) Francis was accused of disrespecting the legal proceedings by passing wind while testifying and refusing to admit whether he had a cell phone.

And when he was asked if he could understand English during the proceedings, he read aloud the Fifth Amendment from the Bill of Rights - which allows him to refuse to testify - from a card handed to him by a lawyer.

Attorneys for the gambling firm argued the adult filmmaker had improperly used the Fifth Amendment and, as a result, District Judge Michelle Leavitt ruled in favour of the casino and ordered Francis to pay the $2 million (£1.3 million) debt.

With interest and legal fees, it has now grown to $2,942,272 (£1,961,515), according to TMZ.com.

Wynn's lawyers are seeking to obtain Francis' assets, which include his property in Bel Air, Los Angeles, if he doesn't pay up.

Francis tells the website, "I was told this matter had been settled by my attorney and I'm currently looking into it."