Zambelli paying $200,000 for not reporting stolen fireworks

PITTSBURGH — PITTSBURGH (AP) - A 124-year-old Pennsylvania fireworks business will pay a $200,000 penalty after pleading guilty to failing to report more than 63,000 fireworks that were stolen nearly three years ago.

Zambelli International Fireworks in January announced that it had agreed to a $200,000 penalty imposed by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and to close up shop for two weeks.

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On Monday, an attorney for the company pleaded guilty to a single count of failure to report the loss of explosive material and the penalty was imposed. Federal law requires such thefts be reported within 24 hours.

Zambelli says state police found the fireworks in an employee's home during an unrelated criminal investigation. They had been stolen sometime between July 21 and Aug. 4, 2014.

Zambelli produces 1,600 shows annually and has been hired for presidential inaugurations and the National Mall Fourth of July celebration.

Associated Press