VinFast Whistleblower Files Disclosures with SEC and NHTSA
On December 17, the BBC reported that the Tata Group, which owns Jaguar Land Rover and is connected to VinFast, terminated Hazar Denli, a mechanical engineer, after he raised safety concerns about VinFast’s electric cars. Denli, specializing in chassis design, identified design flaws in the car’s suspension system that could lead to misalignment of the wheels, compromising driver control. After internal reporting and anonymous posting on Reddit, Denli submitted whistleblower disclosures to the SEC and NHTSA. Both agencies offer monetary rewards for successful enforcement actions based on whistleblowers’ information.
The law firm Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto (KKC) is representing Denli in his complaints to U.S. regulators. KKC founders Michael Kohn and Benjamin Calitri commend Denli’s courage in highlighting critical safety issues in VinFast cars sold in the United States. Denli, based in the UK, utilized the SEC and NHTSA’s whistleblower programs, which have a global reach. The SEC rewards individuals reporting securities law violations, while the NHTSA’s Auto Safety Whistleblower Program compensates insiders revealing safety concerns in the auto industry.
Although established in 2015, the NHTSA recently published final rules for its Auto Safety Whistleblower Program. In 2021, the agency granted its first whistleblower award of $24 million for disclosures regarding Hyundai and Kia’s untimely recalls. This case underscores the effectiveness of U.S. whistleblower laws, attracting international whistleblowers like Denli seeking to safeguard American consumers from potential harm posed by multinational companies like VinFast.
