Steven Seagal has accused the FBI of ruining his acting career.

The star has demanded an apology after claiming that a probe into allegations that he intimidated a reporter and had ties to organised crime have destroyed his box office appeal.

He told the Los Angeles Times: "False FBI accusations fuelled thousands of articles saying that I terrorise journalists and associate with the Mafia. These kinds of inflammatory allegations scare studio heads and independent producers - and kill careers."

The 56-year-old, who starred in smash-hit action films such as 1992's Under Siege, now makes mostly low-budget straight-to-DVD releases.

He was cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to the FBI investigation in 2004 but said his reputation has never recovered.