The artist who cribbed a copyright photo to create the iconic “HOPE” poster for President Obama’s 2008 campaign should serve “some term of imprisonment” for lying about it in court papers, the feds say.
Shepard Fairey faces up to six months in the slammer when he’s sentenced for contempt of court.
Fairey admitted making false statements in a 2009 suit he filed to block a potential copyright claim over his unauthorized use of an Associated Press photo.
In court papers, Manhattan federal prosecutor Daniel Levy called Fairey’s lies “extraordinarily serious litigation misconduct” that deserves both prison time and a fine.
Levy also revealed that Fairey paid the AP $1.6 million to settle the case, but that about $450,000 was covered by insurance.
bruce.golding@nypost.com