Actor Seagal testifies in mob trial

Seagal claimed he was menaced by the defendant

Action film star Steven Seagal has testified in a US court that a crew of alleged mobsters demanded money from him for movies he made with a former colleague.

The actor was a government witness at the racketeering trial of Peter Gotti, brother of the late crime boss John Gotti, and other alleged gangsters.

Authorities said Mr Seagal - who appeared in thriller movie Under Siege - was a victim of a bid by the Gambino crime family to infiltrate the film industry for profit.

Prosecutors said Seagal, 50, was victim of extortion after a disagreement with his former business partner, Julius Nasso, an alleged Gambino associate.

'Petrified'

The actor testified that he was menaced by defendant Anthony "Sonny" Ciccone, who allegedly demanded he pay the Gambinos $150,000 (£92,700) for each movie he made with Nasso.

He said Mr Ciccone said to him: "Look at me when I talk to you - we're proud people. Work with Jules and we'll split the pie."

The prosecutors said wiretaps caught Mr Nasso being instructed to demand the actor give the family a $150,000 (£92,700) cut for each film he made.

In a bugged VIP room in a Brooklyn restaurant in 2001, the suspects could be overheard commenting how "petrified" the actor looked at a meeting, the prosecution lawyers added.

'Pathological liar'

Mr Seagal said that as he left a meeting with the men in 2000, one told him: "If you would have said the wrong thing, they would have killed you."

But the defence lawyers denied any threats were made, saying Mr Nasso was always business-like in seeking to get Mr Seagal to repay $500,000 (£309,000) he loaned the actor for taxes.

In his opening argument last month, defence lawyer George Santangelo called Mr Seagal "a pathological liar".

The defence are still expected to cross-examine Mr Seagal.

Bit on Monday, US district court judge Frederic Block said he would limit how many questions the defence could ask Mr Seagal about his personal life and legal troubles.

"I'm going to keep some restraints on this so it doesn't turn into a media circus," he said.