Seemingly due to the public relations disaster it ended up becoming, Eric Clapton will not seek to collect on the court-order fine imposed on a German widow selling a bootleg of him on eBay.
Clapton won a judgement against a 55-year-old German widow who sold a bootleg CD of a 1987 concert on eBay. The defendant, Gabriele P. told the German newspaper Bild in November: “The CD (Eric Clapton – Live USA) is said to have been recorded illegally. I received a warning first, then the ruling. My husband bought the CD in a department store, not somewhere under the counter.” Under German law, the losing party is liable for all the legal costs of both parties, with the woman being forced to shell out a cool $3,820 to the rock legend.
Rolling Stone reported Clapton's management has since decided to let well enough alone in the case, stating: “If the individual had complied with the initial letter the costs would have been minimal. Had she explained at the outset the full facts in a simple phone call or letter to the lawyers, any claim might have been waived, and costs avoided.”
Clapton's people went on to say, “When the full facts of this particular case came to light and it was clear the individual is not the type of person Eric Clapton, or his record company, wish to target, Eric Clapton decided not to take any further action and does not intend to collect the costs awarded to him by the Court. Also, he hopes the individual will not herself incur any further costs.”
