Late Tuesday, New Mexico filed a lawsuit in a state district court suing Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche over the diesel emissions cheating scandal.

Local Attorney General Hector Balderas says that the three German automakers and their US subsidiaries violated air quality standards in the state while also engaging in deceptive marketing by claiming their models were efficient.

“Supported by a massive advertising campaign, defendants claimed that superior engineering allowed their cars to perform better, consume less fuel and emit fewer harmful pollutants than diesel cars of the past, making them a great fit for eco-conscious consumers. In fact, the complete opposite was true.”

New Mexico claims that between 4,000 and 10,000 vehicles were sold in the state with the Volkswagen Group’s defeat device and, in return, the state wants the maximum financial return for local taxpayers paid by VW.

This local lawsuit comes after the US Justice Department announced its intention to fine the German conglomerate for as much as $90 billion.

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