France: Ebay Must Pay $61M For Fake Fashion Sales

July 1, 2008 8:48 a.m. EST

Paris, France (AHN) - Internet auction giant eBay must pay $61 million to a French fashion company after a court there ruled the San Jose, Calif.-based company failed to keep counterfeit products from being sold.

In its ruling for LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the French court said eBay was negligent and allowed the "illicit sale" of fashion items by Vuitton, Givenchy, Emilio Pucci, Fendi and Marc Jacobs.

Ebay responded to the court's decision as an attempt for the fashion brands to prevent their items being sold outside traditional avenues.

This isn't the first time French fashion giants have tangled with the online marketplace. Tiffany, Rolex and Europe's L'Oreal have sued eBay over counterfeits.