Eric ClaptonA woman has reportedly been forced to pay thousands of dollars after being sued by Eric Clapton over a $15 bootleg CD.
As noted by ABC, German media outlets report that Clapton has won a legal case against a woman who tried to sell a bootleg CD, Eric Clapton – Live USA, via eBay for €9.95, which converts to be around $15 AUD.
The 55-year-old widow claimed the CD belonged to her late husband, who she thought purchased it from a reputable retailer in the ‘80s, and was unaware she was committing copyright infringement.
A judge ruled in favour of Clapton, with the woman ordered to pay both parties’ legal fees, which converts to approximately $5,370 AUD, while also being warned that if she continues to pursue the sale she faces a fine of around $394,800 AUD or six months in prison.
In a statement to The Guardian, Eric Clapton’s manager, Michael Eaton, said: “Germany is a country where sales of bootleg and counterfeit CDs are rife, which damages the industry and customers with poor quality and misleading recordings.
“Along with a number of other major artists and record companies, over a number of years Eric Clapton has, through German lawyers, successfully pursued hundreds of bootleg cases in the German courts under routine German copyright procedures.
“Costs are usually minimal unless the case is argued in court, which is what happened here as the lady instructed her own lawyers. Now that the full facts of this particular case have come to light, the intention is that the formal German proceedings will not be pursued any further.”
According to Rolling Stone, the woman’s lawyers have said they will be appealing the court’s decision.
