German prosecutors have raided Daimler’s offices in Germany.
The parent company of Mercedes-Benz is under investigation for possible fraud related to false advertising and the possible manipulation of exhaust-gas aftertreatment in its diesel cars. reports the Stuttgart prosecutor’s office said 23 prosecutors and around 230 employees, including police and state criminal authorities, were involved in searching 11 sites in the German states of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Berlin, Lower Saxony and Saxony as they look for data files and evidence to build a case.
Earlier this year in March, the Stuttgart prosecutor’s office launched an investigation against employees at Daimler on suspicion of fraud and misleading advertising. The investigation is “against known and unknown employees at Daimler, who are suspected of fraud and misleading advertising connected to manipulated emissions treatment of diesel passenger cars,” said the Stuttgart prosecutor’s office.
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Daimler released a brief statement in regards to the investigation, saying it is fully cooperating with the authorities and has provided information on “governmental information requests, inquiries and investigations in annual reports and interim reports.” The company says it cannot comment any further on the ongoing preliminary investigations.
Last month, Mercedes-Benz dropped its plans to bring 2017 diesel models to the U.S. and it’s currently under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.
[Source: Reuters]
