The US government has settled its legal case against the iconic Gibson Guitar company over use of illegal timber from Madagascar in its instruments.

Nashville-based Gibson, whose products are used by artists in every genre of music, will pay a $300,000 (£190,000) fine and a $50,000 community payment.

Gibson admitted violating the Lacey Act, which requires firms to know that timber they use is legally obtained.

Deforestation is a huge issue affecting Madagascan wildlife such as lemurs.

Gibson's premises were raided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in 2010 and 2011, with agents impounding ebony and rosewood imported from Madagascar and India.

The FWS found evidence that an employee had told Gibson two years previously that its Madagascan imports might be illegal, but that the company had nevertheless ordered further stocks.

"As a result of this investigation and criminal enforcement agreement, Gibson has acknowledged that it failed to act on information that the Madagascar ebony it was purchasing may have violated laws intended to limit over harvesting and conserve valuable wood species from Madagascar, a country which has been severely impacted by deforestation," said Assistant Attorney General Moreno following the settlement.

The ebony was mainly in the form of strips that would be fashioned into fretboards for guitars, mandolins and banjos.

SOURCE: BBC