Tag Archives: doj

Norfolk Southern Settles East Palestine Derailment with EPA

“No community should have to experience the trauma inflicted upon the residents of East Palestine,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “That’s why President Biden pledged from the beginning that his Administration would stand with the community every step of the way. Today’s enforcement action delivers on this commitment, ensures the cleanup is paid for by the company, and helps prevent another disaster like this from happening again. Because of this settlement, residents and first responders will have greater access to health services, trains will be safer, and waterways will be cleaner,” Regan said. Continue reading

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Cleveland-Cliffs Steel To Pay $100M for Dearborn Emissions

The modification today of the consent decree requires replacement of the plant’s electrostatic precipitator (ESP) that removes particulate matter from exhaust gases that stem from the plant’s operations and thereby controls visible emissions. It also requires routine testing of the new ESP to assure compliance with applicable emission limits, certain operational parameters and regular monitoring for visible emissions. Continue reading

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GE Engineer Sentenced for Economic Espionage Conspiracy

“This is a case of textbook economic espionage. Zheng exploited his position of trust, betrayed his employer and conspired with the government of China to steal innovative American technology,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will hold accountable those who threaten our national security by conniving to steal valuable trade secrets on behalf of a foreign power.”  Continue reading

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Chinese Government Intelligence Officer Sentenced to Prison

Yanjun Xu, 42, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. According to court documents, Xu targeted American aviation companies, recruited employees to travel to China, and solicited their proprietary information, all on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The Justice Department and the FBI of course are involved in other grave national security matters that if indictments come won’t require extradition of the alleged offender and co-conspirators from Mir-a-Lago. Continue reading

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Russian Oligarch Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska Indicted

It’s just another example of how treacherous the waters of global trade are for multinational corporations with implications for automobile businesses that operate under totalitarian  governments. Continue reading

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Punch It Performance and Tuning to Stop Selling Illegal Devices to Defeat Emissions Controls

“EPA will vigorously pursue and prosecute companies who attempt to circumvent emission controls that are required to reduce air pollution,” said EPA. Continue reading

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US v Fiat Chrysler on Diesel Emissions Defeat Devices

The complaint alleges that the undisclosed software functions cause the vehicles’ emission control systems to perform differently, and less effectively, during certain normal driving conditions than on federal emission tests, resulting in increased emissions of harmful air pollutants. In other words, Volkswagen – the American-Italian sequel. Continue reading

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Dieselgate: Volkswagen Cuts Deal with FTC and Plaintiffs

Volkswagen has agreed to pay up to approximately $1.2 billion in benefits for the 3-liter plea bargain, assuming 100% participation in the program, a 100% buyback of all eligible so-called Generation 1 vehicles and availability of an Emissions Compliant Repair for Generation 2 vehicles. Continue reading

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Takata Pleads Guilty of Falsifying Data on Airbag Shrapnel

Takata has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice – DOJ – whereby it will plead guilty for falsifying airbag testing data and reports that were provided to automakers. Continue reading

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Former Federal Prosecutor to Oversee GM Felony Plea Bargain on Ignition Switch Deaths that let Senior Executives Walk

GM is charged with two felonies for concealing a potentially deadly safety defect from its U.S. regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aka NHTSA, from the spring of 2012 through February 2014, and misleading consumers concerning the safety GM’s cars. Continue reading

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DOJ Honda Consent Order Aims to Cut Auto Loan Abuses

The consent decree is a substantial, perhaps fatal, setback for dealer lobbying groups such as NADA and AIADA who have been fighting CFPB on non-discriminatory pricing. Continue reading

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Hyundai, Kia Fined Record Amount for Fuel Economy Cheating

The Korean scofflaws Hyundai and Kia will pay a record $100 million penalty for selling vehicles that emit more greenhouse gases because of false fuel economy ratings. Continue reading

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Ex Takata Exec Indicted for Seatbelt Price Fixing

Including Nakajima, 35 individuals have been charged in the government’s ongoing investigation into price fixing and bid rigging in the auto parts industry, 24 of whom have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty. Of those, 22 have been sentenced to serve prison terms ranging from a year and one day to two years. Additionally, 27 companies have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty and have agreed to pay a total of more than $2.3 billion in fines. Continue reading

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Ex PetroTiger CEO Indicted for Bribery and Kickbacks

Joseph Sigelman, 43, of Miami and the Philippines, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey and charged with conspiracy to violate the FCPA and to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and substantive FCPA and money laundering violations while working for PetroTiger. Continue reading

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Japanese Auto Parts Maker Showa Guilty of Price Fixing

Showa Corp., an automotive parts manufacturer based in Saitama, Japan, will plead guilty and pay a $19.9 million criminal fine for its role in a price fixing conspiracy. Continue reading

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