WASHINGTON D.C.: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $300 million after an emissions fraud probe involving its vehicles with diesel engines.
According to the report, Fiat’s U.S. business, which is the only one affected, was accused of evading emissions requirements on over 100,000 Ram pickup trucks and Jeep-brand SUVs manufactured between 2014 and 2016.
The report, which cited numerous sources, added that Fiat Chrysler negotiated the plea deal with the U.S. Justice Department and it is expected to be announced as soon as next week.
After the Justice Department makes its announcement confirming the agreement, Fiat will enter a guilty plea during a hearing.
The case is the second such scandal, following the 2017 plea deal involving German automaker Volkswagen, which admitted to cheating to ensure over 600,000 vehicles passed emissions testing. In 2015, Volkswagen admitted to using rigged devices in its vehicles to pass emissions testing.
As a consequence, Volkswagen stock lost 20 percent of its value the day after the announcement that it had cheated on emissions testing.
A Fiat Chrysler employee is also preparing to face trial for deceiving regulators regarding the vehicle pollution cases targeted in the investigation.
The indictment alleges that the employee conspired to install devices in vehicles that enabled them to pass government emissions tests, and subsequently allowed them to pollute beyond legal limits on public roads.
