DETROIT -- BMW will pay an $18 million fine to settle allegations that it inflated its U.S. monthly sales numbers for five straight years.
The Securities and Exchange Commission said Thursday that the German luxury automaker kept a reserve of unreported sales that it drew on to meet monthly targets from 2015 to 2019.
BMW disclosed the misleading information while raising about $18 billion in several corporate bond offerings, the agency said.
"Companies accessing U.S. markets to raise capital have an obligation to provide accurate information to investors," Stephanie Avakian, the SEC's Enforcement Division director, said in a statement.
BMW AG, BMW North America and BMW US Capital did not admit or deny the agency's findings. All three agreed to pay the fine and to stop violating securities laws.
In a statement, BMW said much of the conduct happened more than three years ago.
"There is no allegation or finding in the order that any BMW entity engaged in intentional misconduct," the company said.