Any creditor, any officer or employee of a creditor, or any other person who wilfully and knowingly violates any of the provisions of this Act, or directly or indirectly counsels, aids or abets such violation, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $2,500 for each offense, or by imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or by both. [PL 1973, c. 762, §1 (NEW).]