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Category Archives: fools ‘n frauds
Panasonic Exec Indicted in Toyota Price Fixing Scam
A federal grand jury in Detroit has indicted a Panasonic Automotive Systems executive for his role in an international conspiracy to fix prices of switches and steering angle sensors sold to Toyota. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, electronics, fools 'n frauds, litigation, news analysis
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, Ken Zino, Panasonic, toyota
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Two Fujikura Executives Indicted for Price Fixing
A federal grand jury in Detroit returned an indictment against two Fujikura Ltd. executives for their roles in an international conspiracy to fix prices of auto parts used in automotive wire harnesses sold to Subaru and installed in U.S. cars. Continue reading
Posted in fools 'n frauds, litigation
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, doj, Ken Zino, price fixing, sherman act
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G.S. Electech Executive Indicted for Price Fixing
The criminal charge was the first to be filed in Kentucky where Toyota has extensive operations as part of an ongoing Department of Justice investigation into anti-competitive conduct in the automotive parts industry. Continue reading
Posted in fools 'n frauds, litigation
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, doj, Ken Zino, price fixing, toyota
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Ford Lowers C-Max Hybrid Mileage Claims
Ford Motor Company said today that it is lowering the C-Max hybrid fuel-economy label after being challenged by customers, the EPA and numerous independent automotive testing sites, including AutoInformed. The revised 2013 C-Max label has a combined fuel economy value of 43 mpg, slightly better – in theory – to the combined label of 42 mpg for the Toyota Prius v. Ford’s previous ratings were 47 city/47 highway/47 combined mpg claim for the new 2013 Fusion and C-Max hybrids. Continue reading
Posted in electric vehicles, fools 'n frauds, marketing
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, c-max mileage claims, epa, Ken Zino
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Florida Fuel Company Owner Indicted for Fraud
A Florida-based airline fuel supply company and its former owner and operator were indicted on charges of participating in a scheme to defraud Illinois-based Ryan International Airlines, according to the Department of Justice. Continue reading
Posted in fools 'n frauds, litigation
Tagged afi, autoinformed, autoinformed.com, homeland security, Ken Zino, ryan international airlines
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JPMorgan Chase Employees Charged With Financial Fraud
“Our financial system has been hurt in recent years not just by risky bets gone bad, but also, in some cases, by criminal wrongdoing,” opined Attorney General Holder. Critics maintain Holder has done little to prosecute financial fraud at the ratings agencies and on Wall Street that led to the collapse of the U.S. economy, cut American wealth in half, and created the highest rates of unemployment since the Great Depression that is still hurting the American middle class. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, financial results, fools 'n frauds, litigation
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, doj, eric holder, JPMorgan, Ken Zino, sec
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ExxonMobil to Pay Fine for Fracking Wastewater Dumping
The consent decree, lodged in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and almost certain court approval given the DOJ’s laughably lenient treatment of corporate criminals. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, fools 'n frauds, litigation
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, doj, epa, exxon mobile, fracking pollution, Ken Zino, xto energy
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Waterlogged Flood Cars – Tide Rising as Titles Falsified
Buyer beware and nowhere does that apply more than used flood cars that have been damaged by water that causes insurmountable problems after the vehicle is returned – often illegally – to service. Nearly two-thirds of these flood damaged cars are on the road in ten states – Texas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Louisiana, Illinois, New York, Florida, Mississippi and Virginia. However, as the research shows, crooks are moving flood cars to any state where unfortunately unknowing consumers will buy them. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, fools 'n frauds, insurance
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, carfax, flood cars, hurricane sandy, Ken Zino
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Halliburton to Plead Guilty to Criminal Destruction of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Evidence
Halliburton Energy Services will plead guilty to destroying evidence in connection with the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the Department of Justice said today. Halliburton was charged with one count of destruction of evidence according to an information filling today in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Continue reading
Posted in environment, fools 'n frauds, litigation, news
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, bp, deepwater horizon, gulf oil spill, halliburton, Ken Zino, Macondo well
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Fuel Company Head Charged in Kickback Scheme
The former owner and operator of two Florida-based airline fuel supply companies appeared today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on charges of a kickback scam and defrauding Illinois-based Ryan International Airlines. Continue reading
Posted in energy, fools 'n frauds, litigation
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, doj, homeland security, Ken Zino, ryan air
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Consumer Electronics Association Denies Distracted Driving
In a cynical, profit-motivated move, the head of the Consumer Electronics Association today said he would support a campaign to end texting and driving. “I have made a personal commitment not to text and drive, and to use my devices ‘responsibly’ while operating my car,” claimed Gary Shapiro the head of the pressure group for the $209 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. Continue reading
Oil Recycling Company and Owner Guilty of Toxic Crimes
A North Carolina used oil recycling business and its owner plead guilty to unlawful handling of PCB-contaminated used oil and other crimes today. Benjamin Franklin Pass, 60, and P&W Waste Oil Services Inc. of Wilmington, N.C., pleaded guilty in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina for violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act, as well as for making false statements and failing to pay several years of taxes. Continue reading
Posted in environment, fools 'n frauds, litigation, people
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, doj, epa, Ken Zino, oil recycling, pcbs, toxic waste
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U.S. Unemployed Far Outnumber Job Openings
The April Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that job openings fell by 118,000 in April to only 3.8 million. Job openings have seen little improvement during the last year and remain depressed. In 2007, there were 4.5 million job openings each month. April’s rate of 3.8 million is more than 16% below the levels before President Bush’s Great Recession took hold. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, fools 'n frauds
Tagged autoinformed, autoinformed.com, great recession, jobs, Ken Zino, u.s. unemployment
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North Carolina Man Charged in Odometer Fraud Scheme
The United States charged Francis Marimo, of Raleigh, NC with two counts of odometer tampering, according to the Department of Justice statement released today. The charges were filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina on 10 April 2013, alleging that from 2008 through 2012, Marimo fraudulently caused odometers in used motor vehicles to be altered to reflect false, low mileages. Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, fools 'n frauds, litigation
Tagged auto informed, autoinformed.com, automotive news, Ken Zino, odometer fraud
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Absolute Fuels Guilty in $42 Million Bio-Diesel Credit Scam
A bio-diesel fuel company owner was sentenced to 188 months in prison for crimes connected to an illegal fuels scheme and also fined $175,000 and ordered to pay nearly $55 million in restitution. In what appears to be a badly run government program of renewable fuel tax credits, Jeffrey Gunselman, 30, the owner of Absolute Fuels was able to defraud the Environmental Protection Agency for more than a year by falsely representing that he was in the business of producing bio-diesel fuel. Continue reading
