New York- Artist Jeff Koons was ordered yesterday to pay $2 million to the high-priced lawyers who watched porn films of his ex-wife and even called Washington on his behalf during an international custody battle.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Rolando Acosta said Koons ran up the costly litigation by telling his lawyers "to leave no stones unturned" in the battle against Italian porn queen turned politician Ilona (La Cicciolina) Staller.
Koons ordered the attorneys "to work full-speed ahead in every front that could be pursued" - even suggesting they ask then-President Bill Clinton to get involved.
Koons' law firm, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, contacted the assistant secretary of state, the U.S. ambassador to Italy, federal prosecutors and members of Congress in an unsuccessful bid to get his son, Ludwig, back from Italy.
The expensive litigation, which spanned 1993 through 1999, also included fees he paid his lawyers to watch his ex-wife's porn films in an effort to prove she was an unfit mother.
Acosta said Koons never objected to the bills as they were coming in, made partial payments and promised to pay the balance.
"The underlying litigation, albeit with the noble intent of protecting his child, was nevertheless an extravagant effort of defendant through a top-notch law firm to control and dictate the terms of the dispute with defendant's former wife. Such extravagance is costly," Acosta wrote.
Koons could not be reached for comment. A lawyer for the Paul, Weiss firm did not return calls.
