Hollywood star Ben Affleck's latest ex-girlfriend ENZA SAMBATARO has slammed the US tabloid magazines for labelling her a criminal.

The Boston sales executive and DAREDEVIL actor began dating in May (04) after meeting at a BOSTON RED SOX baseball game and spent two months together, before media pressure made it too difficult for their romance to continue.

Sambataro explains, "It's not fun to have people write bad things about you, about things you did when you were 16-years-old.

"I try to live a good, morally correct life and then I get hit with something that happened when I was 16, when I got a parking ticket and didn't pay it because I was afraid to tell my parents about it. So my license got suspended.

"I'm just a regular person. I didn't want to live in the shadow of Ben Affleck. I didn't want to lose my identity, give up my family, my friends, a career I love, to go live in a shallow place like Los Angeles."

Sambataro admits that while she was unprepared for the media circus surrounding their brief relationship, she understands why the paparazzi were so interested in Affleck's new love, following his high-profile split with Jennifer Lopez in January (04).

Sambataro says, "I was the first one after Jennifer Lopez, so I know it was tough for the media not to focus on me. But after living that life for a few months, I know it's not fun."

The stunning brunette claims she and Affleck are still in contact - as friends - and she thinks he's a lovely man.

She adds, "He's a great guy. He's the most down-to-earth person and he's hysterically funny. I would keel over in stitches every time I watched a Red Sox game with him."

10/08/2004 09:16