Beckham sues publisher over prostitute claims

The Associated Press, Friday, September 24, 2010, 7:14pm (PDT)

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Lawyers for David Beckham have filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles alleging that a magazine knowingly published false claims that the soccer superstar had sex with prostitutes.

The suit filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court accuses Delaware-based Bauer Publishing Company LP and its affiliates of libel, slander and intentional infliction of emotional distress for the In Touch magazine article.

The suit also names 26-year-old Irma Nici, who is quoted as saying she was a call girl who slept with Beckham five times in 2007. She claims he also had sex with a second prostitute.

Beckham publicist Jeff Raymond says suits are being filed in other jurisdictions including Germany, where Bauer's parent corporation is located.

An e-mail to Bauer late Friday was not returned.