The Justice Department is set to announce as soon as Wednesday a billion-dollar agreement with Toyota to settle a federal probe of the automaker’s handling of customer complaints related to unintended acceleration, people familiar with the deal said.
The investigation led by the office of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has examined allegations that the Japanese automotive giant initially misled federal authorities after the complaints became a source of controversy in 2009.
Under the settlement, Toyota is expected to avoid criminal charges and is expected to pay about $1 billion, those familiar with the agreement said.
