$5.7 Billion RICO Lawsuit Claims Toyota Operated a Hydrogen Crime Syndicate | Carscoops

      Toyota is facing a RICO lawsuit alleging organized fraud and failures in hydrogen safety, with accusations that its Mirai sedans are hazardous.

      A class action lawsuit recently filed in California seeks $5.7 billion in damages, alleging that Toyota has engaged in a criminal operation to conceal serious safety defects in its Mirai hydrogen vehicle. This complaint also charges the automaker with “organized fraud.”

      The lawsuit, initiated by the Ingber Law Group in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of three plaintiffs, presents an extensive 142-page RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) complaint detailing wide-ranging accusations against Toyota.

      The RICO Act, originally designed to target organized crime, is now being utilized to assert that Toyota operates what can be described as a white-collar criminal enterprise.

      **The Allegations**

      According to the lawsuit, Toyota, along with its financing subsidiary and various California dealerships, collaborated to market and finance vehicles that technicians allegedly referred to as “ticking hydrogen bombs.”

      The complaint states that the automaker and its hydrogen collaborators concealed numerous defects in the Mirai, including the risk of hydrogen leaks near hot engine parts, which could lead to explosions. The lawsuit also claims that the Mirai may suffer from abrupt power losses, acceleration issues, and braking failures.

      In addition to the technical concerns, the lawsuit criticizes Toyota Motor Credit Corporation for what it describes as “aggressive financial collection tactics” along with issues stemming from California’s limited and unreliable hydrogen refueling network.

      **What Do the Plaintiffs Say?**

      Three Mirai owners are named as plaintiffs, each alleging they were advised by dealership technicians to seek legal action due to ongoing vehicle issues. Some technicians purportedly warned them that their cars were akin to “ticking hydrogen bombs.”

      One instance mentioned in the lawsuit involves a Mirai driver pressing the brake pedal, only for the vehicle to lurch forward. It is also reported that there can be delays of several seconds between pressing the throttle and the powertrain's response.

      “This lawsuit isn’t merely about a defect; it’s about organized fraud,” stated lead attorney Jason M. Ingber. “Toyota engineered, financed, and managed California’s hydrogen infrastructure, then used that control to obscure safety failures and inflict financial harm on consumers.”

      The lawsuit also points out a specific hydrogen refueling station in Torrance, California, that reportedly rendered at least 75 Mirais permanently inoperative after distributing contaminated fuel.

      Representing all California residents who purchased or leased a 2016–2025 Toyota Mirai in the last four years, the suit asserts that Toyota managed to “ingeniously conceal catastrophic safety defects,” ensuring their fraudulent scheme went unnoticed.

      If this narrative seems reminiscent of a poor sequel to 'Who Killed the Electric Car?', it’s because Hollywood has yet to master the storyline involving hydrogen.