Sean Connery to give testimony over an old business deal

The actor has been summoned to appear before a Swiss court to answer questions over a 1972 business deal that turned sour.

Sir Sean, who now lives as a tax exile in the Bahamas, is being sued by the family of a developer he is claimed to have gone into business with more than 30 years ago - reports The Telegraph.

The former James Bond star allegedly lent $4 million (£2.8 million) to a French-Swiss businessman to develop property in the hinterland of the Cote d'Azur.

In exchange, the developer, named only as Jean-René, allegedly provided as security a portfolio of shares, property and gems worth $10 million (£7 million), which his family claims would now be worth $50 million (£35 million).

When Sir Sean called in the loan about five years later, the developer struggled to pay him back because his business was going badly.

So the 78-year-old actor, whose fame and wealth had by then soared on the back of films such as A Bridge Too Far and The Man Who Would Be King, allegedly sold some of the assets, including diamonds and a villa on the French Riviera.

The family claims the assets realised more than his investment.

Jean-René died in Geneva in 2002 after a long illness but his son, Christian, who does not want the family's surname disclosed, has now begun legal action.

"We are asking for all profits from the diamonds and property to be handed back to us, together with any other items used as loan guarantees," said a family friend.

Christian wrote several letters to the film star but reportedly received no reply.

"We're dealing with a multi-million case now, with vast legal fees on both sides," the family friend said. "The figure of £10 million is a conservative one. It could be five times that by the end of the hearing."

Jean-René, who was known as JR to his family and friends, is said to have become friends with Connery through the actor's wife, Micheline.

The family has launched a legal battle in Switzerland. Court papers show that Sir Sean has been summoned to appear next week before a court in Geneva.

A spokesman for the actor, who is estimated to be worth about £170 million, said: "Sean knows nothing about this and so far he's received no summons to attend the court."

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