PARIS — The Paris Prosecutor has opened a preliminary inquiry into suspected “aggravated deception” by Volkswagen, an official from the Prosecutor's office told Reuters on Friday. The move adds to the legal burden the German carmaker faces after US investigators found that it had rigged vehicle pollution emissions tests. France's consumer protection code allows for prison sentences of five years and a fine of 600,000 euros ($669,600.00) for aggravated deception, the Prosecutor's office said. French consumer protection and fraud control authorities have launched a separate investigation on whether VW cheated on emissions focusing in particular on vehicles software devices. The results of that probe, which is not a penal investigation, are expected in November or December. Volkswagen has said there were 946,092 vehicles in France equipped with the EA 189 engines affected by the emissions data manipulation carried out by the company worldwide. Reuters
