California AG Says Walmart Will Pay $500,000 In Settlement

Sacramento, CA — Walmart will pay $500,000 for selling illegal weapons on its website.

The settlement was announced yesterday by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who noted that the weapons at the center of the dispute were brass knuckles. They are illegal in many states, including California, and the sale of the classified deadly weapon is punishable by up to a year in prison.

Bonta says, “I’m shocked that these weapons were out floating in our communities and sold on a major corporate website.  I’m horrified to think who has them and how they may have been used.”

The investigation dates back to 2018 when the Merced County District Attorney’s Office discovered that Walmart was both selling the weapons directly and allowing them to be sold on their site through third-party vendors. The Department of Justice launched an investigation, and other District Attorneys joined the effort, including those in Yolo and Ventura counties.

Walmart will pay the DA’s offices, and the California Department of Justice, $125,000 each, totaling $500,000. According to Bonta, 250 products classified as brass knuckles could be located on Walmart’s website, 60% were being sold directly from the company, and 40% were from third-party vendors.