In the filthy, diesel-drenched guts of the trucking world, where integrity gets crushed under the weight of greed, International Motors, LLC (formerly Navistar International Corporation) stands out like a knackered engine on a scrapheap. They’re Cummins’ chosen mate, a partnership forged in the kind of back-alley swagger that laughs at rules and spits on decency. These two aren’t just pals; they’re partners in grime, bound by a shared contempt for the Clean Air Act and a talent for dodging accountability like it’s a tax demand. Buckle up – this is their rap sheet, and it’s uglier than a motorway crash.
Military Overbilling Scam
Case – U.S. ex rel. Burgess v. Navistar Defense, LLC et al., No. 13-cv-1463 (D.D.C.)
In May 2021 Navistar Defense entered a Deferred Prosecution Agreement, paying US $50 million after submitting bogus invoices for suspension systems on Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Whistle-blower Duquoin Burgess received US $15 million, highlighting the firm’s willingness to fleece the U.S. Marine Corps.
Dirty Diesel Emissions Deal
Also in 2021, Navistar agreed to reduce 10 000 tonnes of NOₓ emissions and pay a US $52 million civil penalty after selling thousands of diesel engines that failed EPA standards. Branded as 2009 models but built in 2010, these engines spewed excess pollution for months before regulators intervened – their fix was to destroy older engines, but the damage was already done.
Accounting Fraud Fiasco
Between 2001–05 Navistar overstated pre-tax income by US $137 million via vendor-rebate schemes and warranty tricks. The SEC fined individuals up to US $113 000 and barred one ex-controller; the CEO and CFO returned millions in bonuses. The company itself sidestepped a corporate penalty by settling just before charges were filed – a textbook sleight-of-hand.
MaxxForce Engine Fiasco
In 2020 Navistar agreed a US $135 million settlement to resolve class-action claims over 60 000 MaxxForce engines plagued by faulty emissions systems. Lakeview Bus Lines alone lost US $4.5–5.3 million in downtime and repairs; in Tennessee the company paid US $22 million under a separate judgment. These rolling disasters forced Navistar into its largest class-action pay-out to date.
Capitol Rioter Employee
In 2021 a staffer at Navistar Direct Marketing was sacked after storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6, flashing a company badge while entering the building. It’s a telling anecdote of a culture that tolerates mayhem if it serves profit.
The Cummins Connection
They buy Cummins engines because they share a taste for dirty deals. Cummins paid a US $1.675 billion penalty in 2023 for installing defeat devices on over 630 000 Ram diesel engines, misleading regulators and the public. A 2024 class action then accused them of greenwashing – lying about ESG goals while churning out pollution like it was 1985.
When your top customer is a serial offender in over-billing, fraud, emissions cheating and market manipulation, you learn all the wrong lessons. Their blueprint of profit-over-people infects every engine they put on the road.
Lee Thompson
Founder, The Cummins Accountability Project
Sources
Wikipedia – International Motors, LLC
DOJ OPA – Navistar Defense agrees to pay US $50 million
DOJ OPA – Navistar to reduce 10 000 tonnes of NOₓ emissions and pay US $52 million
Chicago Breaking Business – SEC files for settlement in Navistar accounting fraud case
Top Class Actions – Navistar, truckers reach US $135 million engine defect settlement
NBC Washington – Maryland company fires employee who stormed Capitol wearing badge