Eric Clapton's Legal Battle Update: Singer Wins Case Over $11 Pirated Album

Eric Clapton won the lawsuit he filed against a German woman who tried selling a pirated version of his album on eBay.

Clapton's team launched the legal showdown against the woman, known as Gabriele P, after committing copyright infringement by trying to sell a CD titled "Eric Clapton - Live USA," where she compiled recordings of the singer's performances from the 1980s.

The woman claimed she was unaware of the legal issues she was committing and insisted she deleted the listing after one day.

Despite that, the 76-year-old rockstar still pushed the case against the 55-year-old German, submitting an affidavit to Düsseldorf regional court since the recordings were illegally made without the singer's consent.

The woman still responded to the standard letter that Clapton's German legal team sent, saying (as quoted by The Guardian), "I object and ask you not to harass or contact me any further. Feel free to file a lawsuit if you insist on the demands."

The court ruled in favor of Clapton, but the woman filed an appeal again, saying that her late husband bought the disc in 1987 at a popular German department store. However, the judge argued it was irrelevant as she did not buy the CD herself. She was also ordered to pay for both parties' legal fees, costing around $3,900.

Eric Clapton's Legal Battle Explored

Following the news, Clapton's manager Michael Eaton released a statement saying that Germany is a country where selling pirated and bootleg CDs is common. Unfortunately, the transaction damages the industry.

"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," he went on.

Eaton added that the cost is minimal, not until it goes to court. For the recent case, the woman had to pay more since Clapton's team pushed it through the higher up.

Daily Mail added that if the woman tries to sell the CD again, she would be required to settle a $282,000 fine or six months imprisonment.

Despite the verdict, the woman's attorney reportedly wants to appeal the lawsuit again.

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Eric Clapton