Toru Hana/Reuters
Three employees of Takata were indicted Friday by a federal grand jury as part of a settlement reached with federal prosecutors. The individuals, all Japanese, were charged with conspiracy and wire fraud for hiding defects in the company’s faulty air bags. The Japanese company’s air bags have been found to be particularly dangerous to drivers becuase they explode too forcefully, having killed 16 people and injured 180 others. Millions of automobiles in the U.S. with the faulty air bags have been recalled in recent years due to their harmful effects. Additionally, Takata will face $1 billion in penalties from the U.S. Department of Justice over claims that the company actively tried to mislead investigators and conceal the air bags’ deficiencies.