The founder and one-time executive chair of Nikola Corp. surrendered Thursday in New York on criminal charges alleging that he made false and misleading statements to investors about the electric and hydrogen-powered truck startup.

Trevor Milton resigned from Nikola in September amid allegations of fraud. At the time, Milton said he would defend himself against accusations that the company made false claims about its vehicles, allegations Nikola rejects.

In an indictment unsealed Thursday in Manhattan federal court, prosecutors charged Milton with two counts of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud.

He was accused in the indictment of making false and misleading statements through social media and television, print and podcast interviews about the company’s product and technology development.

The indictment said the claims were deceptive, false and misleading. A message seeking comment was left with his lawyer.

Milton was scheduled to make an initial court appearance in the afternoon.

Shares of Nikola Corp. tumbled 7% before the opening bell Thursday.

Watch more: 

More Cheddar coverage of Nikola: 

Nikola Founder Says Market Rewards Companies Willing to Transform Industries

Nikola Founder: 'We Have a Lot to Learn' After First Earnings Report

Nikola Partners With GM in Battle for Electric Vehicle Supremacy

Share:
More In Business
Ford Cuts Production of F-150 Lightning Electric Truck
Ford says it’s reducing production of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup vehicle as it adjusts to weaker-than-expected electric vehicle sales growth. The automaker said about 1,400 workers will be impacted by the move.
Apple Overtakes Samsung as Top Seller of Smartphones
Dan Ives, Managing Director and Senior Equity Analyst at Wedbush Securities dives deeper into a report by the International Data Corporation (IDC) that Apple has ended Samsung's 12-year reign as the world's largest smartphone seller.
AI is the Big Opportunity and the Risk to Watch at Davos
Artificial intelligence is the biggest buzzword at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. Advances in generative AI stunned the world last year, and the elite crowd is angling to take advantage of its promise and minimize its risks.
A Smarter Smart Phone?
Smartphones could get much smarter this year as the next wave of artificial intelligence seeps into the devices that accompany people almost everywhere they go.
Load More