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Rudy's Performance Parts Inc., an automotive components company based in North Carolina, has been hit with a $10 million penalty for selling devices that allow vehicles to bypass federal emissions controls, the U.S. Department of Justice announced. The company will pay a $2.4 million criminal fine, in addition to a $7 million civil fine, for its involvement in manufacturing and selling these illegal devices, commonly known as "defeat devices."

Rudy's Performance $10M Fine Cheat Devices : Court Ruling and Penalties

The penalties were handed down by U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden in Washington, D.C., following Rudy's guilty pleas to conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act. The company will also face three years of organizational probation. The $2.4 million criminal fine follows a separate $7 million civil settlement that Rudy's and its owner, Aaron Rudolf, reached in North Carolina federal court in July.

In a separate case in April, Rudolf was fined $600,000 and placed on probation for three years for tampering with emissions monitoring devices on approximately 300 diesel trucks.

Emissions Violations

Rudy's Performance was found to have sold devices known as "delete tuners," which tamper with the on-board diagnostic systems of vehicles, allowing them to bypass emissions controls. These devices contributed to significant environmental pollution, according to prosecutors. In total, Rudy's made about $33 million from selling 43,900 of these devices.

"Defeat devices, such as those sold by Rudy's, can lead to pollution at high levels that pose health risks and harm the environment," said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.

Strong Enforcement Action

Both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice emphasized their commitment to enforcing the Clean Air Act and cracking down on illegal emissions tampering. "This plea agreement and civil settlement show that we will take strong action to enforce emissions controls requirements for motor vehicles," Kim added.

David M. Uhlmann, Assistant Administrator for the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, also vowed to rigorously clamp down on such "blatant illegal behavior."

Rudy's Performance $10M Fine Cheat Devices : Conclusion

Rudy's Performance Parts faces significant legal and financial repercussions for its role in selling emissions cheating devices. With combined fines of $10 million and multiple years of probation, the company’s actions highlight the serious consequences of violating environmental laws.