The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Thursday that it is pursuing Fiat Chrysler for allegations of illegally installing secret defeat software that allowed more than 100,000 of the automakers diesel vehicles to emit harmful substances way above the legally allowed levels.

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The case is somewhat similar to the one filed against Volkswagen, in which the German automaker pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy that is just one part of a widespread emission cheating scandals that forced the company to recall millions of vehicles.

The EPA said that the cases filed against Fiat Chrysler and Volkswagen have something in common and that is the use of software in order to adjust emissions levels while the cars are undergoing emissions tests.

Fiat Chrysler chief executive officer Sergio Marchionne responded to the allegations being thrown by the EPA saying that the company did not intentionally broke the law.

In a statement acquired by Bloomberg, Marchionne said, "We are confident that no one at FCA committed any fraud or tried not to be compliant. We may be technically deficient but not immoral. We never installed any defeat device."

According to Seattle Times, among the confirmed models rigged by cheating software are the 2014, 2015, and 2016 year models of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, along with Dodge Ram 1500 trucks, which packs 3-liter diesel engines that were sold in the US.

If found guilty of violating the Clean Air Act, Fiat Chrysler will face potential penalties amounting to as much as $44,500 per affected car, which could amount to at least $4.5 billion in total.

TagsEPA, environmental protection agency, Fiat Chrysler, emission tests, emission scandal