CHICAGO, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- The CEO of Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler has been questioned by U.S. federal investigators over a corruption scandal involving its training center in Michigan State, the Detroit Free Press reported on Monday.
Sergio Marchionne was questioned during a private meeting some time in July 2016 with the U.S. Attorney's Office in downtown Detroit, sources familiar with the investigation revealed.
But the Italian auto executive has not been charged with any crime during the ongoing federal grand jury investigation that has expanded recently to General Motors, Ford and United Automobile Workers (UAW) training centers funded by all three big automakers.
The scandal emerged publicly in July this year when several representatives of the UAW, the biggest trade union in automobile sector in North America, are accused of participating in a 4.5-million-U.S.-dollar scheme that siphoned corporate training funds earmarked for blue-collar workers.
Former Fiat Chrysler Vice President Alphons Iacobelli was also indicted and accused of funneling kickbacks to UAW officials.
The developments have triggered concerns that big automakers in the United States might have attempted to buy labor peace by corrupting union leaders.
