DETROIT – Three former Takata executives have been indicted for criminal wrongdoing in the auto parts maker's handling of air bag inflator ruptures which were linked at least 16 deaths worldwide.
Shinichi Tanaka, Hideo Nakajima and Tsuneo Chikaraishi, all Takata executives who left the company in 2015, have been indicted on wire fraud and conspiracy charges. They are accused of convincing automakers to buy "faulty, inferior, non-performing, non-compliant or dangerous inflators" through false reports.
Here is the indictment -- view here. It was unsealed Friday.
The executives are accused of knowing in the year 2000 that the air bag inflators were not up to automakers' specifications. The air bags were failing during tests, and the executives allegedly knew it.
Federal attorneys have scheduled a news conference Friday afternoon in Detroit to announce criminal penalties against Takata.
In addition to the at least 16 deaths, more than 180 people have been injured by the air bag problems.
Story: Reports: Takata to pay around $1 billion penalty in defective air bag case