LOS ANGELES (AFP) - The grand total was US$269.4 million (S$374.68 million) - that was the sum Walt Disney Co. was ordered to pay Wednesday to a British firm claiming it was shortchanged on royalties from the US version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

The verdict was in favor of Celador International, which argued in its lawsuit that the Disney-owned ABC network and its Buena Vista Television unit concealed its profits from the show through a complex series of "self-dealing transactions."

The trial in the 2004 lawsuit began June 2 and testimony concluded June 29. The game show, in which contestants compete for cash by answering questions and must reply when the host asks "Is That Your Final Answer?" was produced by Celador, which has sold franchises around the world.

Celador attorney Roman Silberfeld said the verdict after three days of jury deliberations "was deserved."

But Disney vowed to appeal the decision.

"We believe this verdict is fundamentally wrong and will aggressively seek to have it reversed," the entertainment giant said in a statement.

According to Celador, emails from former Disney chief executive Michael Eisner valued the game show at one billion dollars. According to attorneys for Disney, Celador received around 20 million dollars during the show's three-year network run.

The British firm received a flat fee per episode, plus a share of the profits, which fell sharply after the show went into syndication in 2002.