A Toyota Motor Corp unit agreed to plead guilty and pay over $1.6 billion in a settlement with U.S. government agencies to settle violations related to an emissions fraud scheme, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement on Wednesday.

The criminal case is the latest scandal plaguing the automotive industry in recent years involving vehicle emissions and safety.

US officials late Wednesday announced a $1.6 billion deal with Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors to settle charges it deceived regulators about the amount of emissions spewed by its diesel engines.

By David Shepardson (Reuters) -Toyota Motor unit Hino Motors has agreed a $1.6 billion settlement with U.S. agencies and will plead guilty over excess diesel engine emissions in more than 105,000 U.S.

A report by Nikkei Asia said that Hino was expected to settle the allegations pay a fine of $1.2 billion. A company-commissioned panel said in a report in 2022 Hino had falsified