TRENTON, N.J. (AP) A state appellate court has upheld a $6 million judgment for former New York Giants football star Phil McConkey, agreeing that the chairman of a Wall Street brokerage firm had deliberately lied about a corporate buyout.

In its ruling issued Tuesday, the panel also affirmed a lower court ruling that reduced the $10 million award McConkey won from the Chicago-based Aon Corporation in 1999. He will instead receive $6.06 million.

McConkey had testified that he never would have taken a position with the brokerage firm Alexander & Alexander in 1996 if Chairman Frank G. Zarb hadn't assured him the firm was not a takeover target. McConkey lost his job seven months later when Aon bought Alexander & Alexander.

Neither McConkey or Aon officials could be reached for comment.

A jury in Essex County found Aon and Alexander & Alexander guilty of fraud and awarded McConkey $5 million in punitive damages, $2 million for emotional distress, $2.6 million in past economic damages, and $400,000 in future lost wages.

Aon challenged the award, and a trial judge threw out the $2 million for emotional distress because of lack of evidence. McConkey also accepted $663,000 instead of going to court to defend the $2.6 million award for past damages.

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