Network Seven owner Kerry Stokes has been left on the hook for a $13.5 million payout to rival Nine after disgraced war hero Ben Roberts-Smith lost his marathon defamation lawsuit.

The disgraced special air forces veteran sued Nine newspapers for defamation over reports published in 2018 that claimed he was complicit in the murder of four unarmed civilians in Afghanistan.

Justice Anthony Besanko's decision that the allegations were substantially true was upheld by a panel of judges who struck down Roberts-Smith's appeal in May.

Roberts-Smith and his financier, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes, will now have to fork out almost $13.5 million to cover the legal costs incurred by Nine during the trial.

The Federal Court ordered on Tuesday that Nine's costs payable by the war veteran

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