Toyota admitted misleading U.S. consumers about unintended-acceleration safety issues and paid $1.2 billion
Company: Toyota Motor Corporation
Summary
On March 19, 2014, Toyota Motor Corporation entered a U.S. deferred prosecution agreement and agreed to pay a $1.2 billion penalty. Toyota admitted that in fall 2009 and early 2010 it misled consumers by concealing and making deceptive statements about two safety issues that could cause unintended acceleration. A DPA is a negotiated criminal resolution, not a conviction after trial; this summary relies on Toyota's admissions in the agreement. Primary source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-criminal-charge-against-toyota-motor-corporation-and-deferred