Tesla denies it is facing a deeper criminal probe into Model 3 production after reports suggest FBI had expanded investigation
Tesla has denied claims it is facing a deeper criminal probe regarding the production guidance for its new Model 3 sedans.
The electric car-maker responded to claims made in the Wall Street Journal on Friday, which said that Federal Bureau of Investigation agents were investigating the company.
The report claims that the FBI are looking to establish "whether Tesla misstated information about production of its Model 3 sedans and misled investors about the company’s business going back to early 2017".
The report also claims that FBI agents have contacted former Tesla employees for testimony in the criminal case and that they received subpoenas earlier in the probe.
A Tesla spokesperson said it had received a voluntary request for documents from the Department of Justice and the company was cooperative in responding to it.
"We have not received a subpoena, a request for testimony, or any other formal process, and there have been no additional document requests about this from the Department of Justice for months," the Tesla spokesperson said.
Last month Tesla said the FBI was looking at statements from chief executive Elon Musk about private funding, and any focus on past production statements would broaden the probe into the company, which has just put a civil fraud settlement behind it.
Tesla confirmed that it had been asked for documents about a deal to take the company private in September, following Musk's tweets about having "funding secured".
The news comes just days after the company posted a profit and positive cash flow on Wednesday, as Musk made good on his promise to ramp up the new sedan's production and turn over a profit.