Leonardo DiCaprio wins $8,800 lawsuit after French tabloid claims he impregnated Rihanna

Oscar-nominated actor Leonardo DiCaprio has successfully sued a French publication after it falsely reported that he had impregnated pop singer Rihanna. Following legal proceedings, a court determined that the magazine violated strict privacy laws and ordered it to pay the actor €8,000 ($8,800, £5,665) in damages.

In May 2015, Oops! magazine published a completely fabricated story alleging that DiCaprio, 40, had got Rihanna pregnant but did not want to keep the baby. The story was splashed across the tabloid's front page under the headline: "Rihanna Pregnant With Leonardo's Baby: He Doesn't Want The Baby."

However, in his lawsuit, the Wolf Of Wall Street actor stated that he and the 27-year-old singer were not dating despite the rumours and they were definitely not having a baby together. In their ruling, the judge stated that the magazine breached France's privacy laws by invading DiCaprio's personal life and publishing two paparazzi photos of him.

It is thought that the Great Gatsby actor had demanded the maximum amount in damages and legal fees, believed to be €18,000, but the judge settled on less. When the lawsuit was filed in June 2015, Oops! co-owner Frederic Truskolaski admitted to Gossip Cop: "We didn't know [if Rihanna was pregnant]. We thought she might be. We were not sure, of course."

Speaking after the ruling, Truskolaski now tells the US website: "We were totally expecting this decision, since in France when any magazine speaks about a celebrity's private life the magazine is automatically condemned."

Earlier in 2015, multiple outlets reported Rihanna and DiCaprio were enjoying a romance after eyewitnesses claimed to have spotted them on various dates. Photos also emerged of the pair hanging out at a celebration for Rihanna's birthday in February, but it was stated they were just friends.