U2 Ordered to Pay $1.5 Million Fine in Brazil
In a case dating all the way back to 2003–further, if you want to talk about what happened in Brazil with the PopMart tour–Bono and Larry Mullen have been ordered to pay a promoter $5 million Brazilian real over statements made that U2 hadn’t been paid for shows in 1998. The promoter, one Franco Bruni, was most pissed with the allegations and sued.
Turns out that Bono and Larry misspoke. They meant to comment on not being paid author’s rights and not for the shows themselves. And despite a correction and apology issued by U2’s managing director three days later–this was back in 2000–Bruni wasn’t mollified. He wanted blood.
The first verdict came down in 2011 and saw Bono acquitted and Larry found guilty. That ruling was appealed and a jury unanimously ruled in Bruni’s favour. The fine is $5 million Brazilian real, or about $1.5 million USD.
Fortunately for the journalists who conducted the interview, they were exonerated.
(Via @U2)
