When it was announced earlier in the week that Ernst Lieb was removed from his position as CEO of MBUSA, speculation was rife as to the cause, because no reason was given by the company for the sudden decision. In light of improved Mercedes-Benz sales under Lieb’s helm, the decision to remove him from his position as head of MBUSA was all the more baffling.

It has now come to light that Lieb’s undoing was caused by his wrongdoings. Apparently, Lieb had the habit of charging personal expenses to the company’s accounts. Examples of these misdeeds, according to the Wall Street Journal, included having his house renovated and charging a personal flight to Australia. When Mercedes higher-ups became aware of this, Lieb was given a warning due to the company’s focus on compliance issues. However, another incident after the warning apparently broke the camel’s back, and Lieb was asked to leave his position.