WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – The Justice Department on Thursday charged the U.S. business of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles with criminal conspiracy in its multi-year emissions fraud probe surrounding vehicles with diesel engines.
Reuters reported last week FCA US LLC, now part of Stellantis NV, had agreed to plead guilty to a criminal conspiracy charge arising from its efforts to evade emissions requirements for more than 100,000 older Ram pickup trucks and Jeep sport-utility vehicles in its U.S. lineup and would pay roughly $300 million in penalties.
U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds in Detroit set a plea hearing for FCA US for 1:30 p.m. Friday.
Stellantis declined to comment.
(Reporting by David Shepardson and Mike Spector; Editing by Chris Reese)
