Gibson admits to illegal wood in guitars

[Misfit]

Gibson to pay $350K in illegal wood case - Local News - Nashville, TN - NBCNews.com

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday that Gibson Guitar will be fined $350,000 for importing illegal wood from overseas.


In 2009, the Nashville-based company was raided by the FBI on allegations that they illegally purchased and imported ebony wood from Madagascar and rosewood and ebony from India, violating the Lacy Act.

Under an agreement with federal authorities, Gibson will pay a $300,000 penalty and also a community service payment of $50,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to be used to "promote the conservation, identification and propagation of protected tree species used in the musical instrument industry and the forests where those species are found."

[aps45819]

Big fine for not being a union shop.

Must be part of Obama's plan to help small business

[b23hqb]

Just to make the feds go away. Makes me want to buy a new Gibson, though< and I just might.

[Gilligan (Premo)]

I can't begin to describe how much safer I feel knowing that the DoJ has punished Gibson as they have.

[joedancer]

This explains things more thoroughly: USDOJ: Gibson Guitar Corp. Agrees to Resolve Investigation into Lacey Act Violations
and
Deforestation in Madagascar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are reasons for prohibiting the sale of ebony. Madagascar is in serious trouble providing for its inhabitants. Far cry from the happy critters in cheerful film...