Ceglia loses bid to revive Facebook lawsuit, block criminal case

- A federal appeals court on Monday rejected the fugitive Paul Ceglia's effort to revive his civil lawsuit against Facebook Inc and founder Mark Zuckerberg seeking a big stake in the social media company, and to halt a separate criminal prosecution for fraud. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York said Facebook and Zuckerberg had established by clear and convincing evidence that a 2003 contract that Ceglia claimed entitled him to a 50 percent Facebook stake was forged.It also said Ceglia failed to make a "clear showing" that the government's criminal case against him arising from that contract should be dismissed. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)