NEW YORK.- Sotheby's filed a lawsuit against the founder of CNET Networks Inc. Halsey Minor today claiming he has failed to pay more than on $13 million which he owes for three paintings he bought. Reuters reported that, "The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, accuses Minor of breach of contract for failing to pay for the paintings he purchased in May.” One of those paintings was Edward Hicks' "Peaceable Kingdom which the auction house sold on May 22, 2008.

"Sotheby's has made a number of efforts to obtain payment from Minor, but he has refused -- without any legal or other justification -- to make the payments due as required by the contracts," Sotheby's said in the complaint.

Minor bought the paintings between May 15 and 22 for the following amounts: $300,000, $3.9 million and $9.6 million.

Reuters could not immediately reach Minor for a comment.