Gibson To Pay $300K Fine
Gibson Guitar will suck it up and pay a fine for illegally importing exotic wood from Madagascar and India, the U.S. government announced.
Gibson will pay a $300,000 penalty to avoid criminal charges for importing ebony and rosewood in violation of the Lacey Act, which prohibits the acquisition of plant products that are protected in other countries, the Department of Justice said in a statement. Gibson was accused of illegally importing ebony from Madagascar and India, as well as rosewood from India.
The guitar maker will also have to make a “community service payment” of $50,000 to the U.S. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to promote conservation and development of tree species used in making musical instruments. The company will also withdraw its claims to the $262,000 worth of exotic woods seized by federal authorities, said the Department of Justice.
