Madonna loses plagiarism case
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-20 09:53

A Belgian songwriter has won a court battle against pop star Madonna after accusing her of plagiarising one of his songs for her 1998 hit single, "Frozen," his lawyer said on Friday.

Pop singer Madonna arrives for the screening of her documentary 'Im Gonna Tell You A Secret' in New York, October 18, 2005. A Belgian songwriter has won a court battle against pop star Madonna after accusing her of plagiarising one of his songs for her 1998 hit single, 'Frozen', his lawyer said on Friday. [Reuters]

Salvatore Acquaviva's lawyer said a court in the southern Belgian town of Mons had ordered the country's music stores to withdraw the record from their shelves within the next 15 days.

The court also ordered radio and television stations to stop playing the song, he said.

"(They) cannot broadcast the work 'Frozen' ... under pain of a 150,000-euro fine," he told the local radio network, RTBF.

It was not immediately clear if damages were awarded to Acquaviva.

The single comes from Madonna's "Ray of Light" album of the same year.