Former Miami Vice star Don Johnson is to sue the German Finance Ministry after customs officials found documents listing transactions totalling nearly €7bn in his car.
Lawyer Matthias Prinz said the actor is claiming damage to his reputation on the grounds that his name was allegedly made public by officials at the ministry, which oversees customs authorities.
Johnson's car was stopped for a routine check as he drove into Germany from Switzerland last November with two other men. Officials photocopied the documents, but they did not seize them and let Johnson continue his journey without formally questioning him.
Johnson said earlier this year that the statements were not his, but were from potential investors he was discussing a movie project with. He strongly denied any wrongdoing.
In May, German customs investigators said they had determined the documents belonged to another person and said no offence had been committed.
German authorities had never launched a formal investigation and consider the matter closed, they said.