New York, Dec 29 (ANI): ‘Girls Gone Wild’ founder Joe Francis has threatened to take legal action against Gawker.com for labelling him “a rapist” while crowning him the winner of its “Douche of the Decade” poll.

The 36-year-old American entrepreneur received 32 percent of the nearly 9,000 votes cast.

“You messed with the wrong guy. No one makes up lies about me and gets away with it,” the New York Post quoted Francis as telling Gawker founder Nick Denton in an email.

He said: “I lost a 10 million dollars deal as a direct result of you calling me ‘a rapist.’ You will be paying me every dime of that back and more! Are you mentally retarded? Do your research first. I am coming after you harder than I ever went after anyone. I am going to wipe you off the grid!!!! YOU ARE DONE! I will take everything you have. You, Nick Denton, are truly the douche of the decade. Merry Xmas IDIOT!!!”

He also attached a shirtless photograph of himself, saying, “I sent you an updated picture of how I look now . . . because you seem to be quite sexually obsessed with me.”

Gawker managing editor Gabriel Snyder said, “We really wanted to retire the word ‘douche’ by crowning Joe Francis as its apotheosis, but it looks like he’s determined to remain the standard-bearer.”

Snyder said Gawker had not been served with any papers by Francis and that the site has no plans to take down its original story. (ANI)