Eric Clapton Wins Lawsuit Against German Widow Who Attempted Sell Bootleg CD For $11

A German widow will have to pay nearly $4,000 in legal fees after losing a lawsuit against guitarist and singer Eric Clapton, 76.

Clapton sued the woman, known as Gabriele P., after she posted a pirated version of his album Eric Clapton – Live USA for $11.20, on eBay. When Clapton’s team first reached out to her, Gabriele reportedly responded with, “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.”

Gabriele claimed she wasn’t aware that the disc was pirated, saying her late husband told her he purchased the CD in 1987 at a department store.

The Düsseldorf regional court ultimately sided with Clapton. The judge ruled that it didn’t matter whether she knew that the CD was illegally reported. Gabriele is now responsible for paying for hers and Clapton’s legal fees, which total to about $3,900.

If she tries to sell the CD again, Gabriele could get fined up to $282,000 or hit with a six-month prison sentence. The woman’s attorney told a German newspaper that they would be appealing the decision.

Clapton has been in the headlines frequently for his public condemnation of vaccinations and lockdowns in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. He released a track last year named “Stand and Deliver” with fellow anti-vaxxer Van Morrison, which compared getting vaccinated to being forced into slavery.

Clapton has also just released a new single “Heart Of A Child,” which also features anti-lockdown lyrics. Clapton co-wrote the single with Italian architect and vaccine skeptic Robin Monotti.