Justice Department Opens Criminal Probe Against Takata After Record Recall

The Justice Department’s criminal investigation into air bag defects linked to six deaths and more than 100 injuries is being handled by the U.S. Atttorney’s Office in Detroit and prosecutors in Washington, The Detroit News has learned.

Takata Corp. — which on Tuesday said it was declaring 33.8 million vehicles defective in a move that will lead to the largest auto recall in U.S. history — disclosed in November it was the subject of a criminal investigation in November after it had received a federal grand jury subpoena from prosecutors in Manhattan.

Lawyers involved in the Takata case told The Detroit News earlier this year the case was transferred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit.