Author Robert Kiyosaki (pictured here on the right at a 2006 book launch with US entrepreneur Donald Trump) lost a court judgment, meaning his company Rich Global LLC was ordered to pay almost $US24 million to the Learning Annex and its founder and chairman, Bill Zanker.

Kiyosakihe made substantial profits from the speaking appearances which he’d organised through Learning Annex, and a judge ordered that Kiyosaki must give Zanker a percentage of them. Zanker said that he was responsible for making Rich Dad, Poor Dad into the global name it is today.

“I took Kiyosaki’s brand and made it bigger. The deal was I would get a percentage and he reneged. Oprah believed in him, and Will Smith believed in him, but he didn’t keep his promise to us,” he said, reports News.com

Mr Kiyosaki first published Rich Dad Poor Dad in 1994, and has since written 11 other books. Rich Dad, Poor Dad has sold more than 26 million copies

Mike Sullivan, CEO of Mr Kiyosaki Rich Dad Co., told reporters that Mr Kiyosaki, was still doing well thanks to investments in other companies but that they thought the judgement was unfair.

“I can’t do anything about a $20 million judgment…We got hit for what we think is a completely outlandish figure,” he said.

Images via Getty (Robert Kiyosaki with Donald Trump) and Thinkstock