The U.S. arm of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to defraud the United States, wire fraud, and violating the Clean Air Act for “making false and misleading representations” regarding emissions control systems on more than 100,000 vehicles.
The automobile manufacturer, which changed its name to FCA US in 2014, agreed to pay a criminal fine of approximately $96 million and to forfeit nearly $204 million, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release. At issue were misstatements regarding emission of pollutants, fuel efficiency, and compliance with U.S. emissions standards on model year 2014-16 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 diesel trucks.
